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Rumsfeld Begins Tour of 3 North African Countries
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=10ECD4A:3919ACA Defense Secretary
says he wants to strengthen US military ties to Tunisia, Algeria and
Morocco U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld arrived in Tunis
Saturday, starting an unannounced tour of three North African
countries.







U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, right, speaks to his
Tunisian counterpart, Kamel Morjane, left, in front of the Tunisian
Defense Ministry, SaturdaySecretary Rumsfeld says he wants to
strengthen U.S. military ties to Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, all of
which, he says, have been helpful in the war on terrorism.

Just before leaving Italy, where he attended a NATO meeting, Rumsfeld
said, each of the three countries has provided moderate leadership,
and been constructive in helping to address problems.

The three countries all receive U.S. military aid as part of the
Trans-Sahara Anti-Terrorism initiative, but Secretary Rumsfeld says he
is not concerned about terrorist groups trying to use remote regions
of the three countries.

"There are certainly places in the world that are attractive for
terrorists and terrorist networks. They tend not to be countries like
these three," he noted.

He says, terrorists tend to prefer to use countries where the
governments are more tolerant toward extremism.


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