Tunisia's Ben Yahia

By Andrew I. Killgore

In spite of the still tragically unresolved Arab-Israel Dispute and the decade long Lebanese civil war, the Mediterranean world is the center of civilized living on this globe. The Germans may be more efficient, the British more inventive, but the glorious sun, sparkling waters, laughter, wine and relaxed charm of the Mediterranean conquer all who come to know it.

If a contest were held to select the most delightful of all the Mediterranean countries, the winner might well be Tunisia, whose Ambassador in Washington is Habib Ben Yahia, a brilliantly talented career diplomat. With a population of seven million, Tunisia is relatively small in physical size but its roles as headquarters of the Arab League, as a member of the Organization of African Unity and as a glittering star of the enchanting Mediterranean lend it disproportionate influence.

Tunisia today might be called a peacemaker, a moderating force in situations of sometimes fierce conflict and raging emotions, such as the Arab Israel Dispute. Ambassador Ben Yahia is admirably suited to play such a role of understanding and moderation for his country in Washington. Fluent in five great languages (Arabic, French, English, Spanish and Japanese) he converses and does business without the awkwardness of an interpreter with just about any person he encounters in Washington or elsewhere.

Only 47 years of age, Habib Ben Yahia had already served his country as Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Japan and Belgium before being appointed to the United States in 1981. He has behind him almost 25 years of experience as a diplomat, with seasoning as Director of the African Division (English speaking countries) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Director of Economic Cooperation with the United States in the Ministry; Economic Counselor of the Tunisian Embassies in Paris and Washington; and as Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

One of the fascinations of the Mediterranean area is its place in world history, as a focus of great empires. One of the greatest of these was centered on ancient Carthage, the ruins of which lie near today's Tunis, the capital city of Tunisia. In the Third and Second centuries B.C. the Punic Wars were fought. That titanic struggle between the Roman Empire and Carthage lasted for more than a hundred years. Hannibal of Carthage, one of the most brilliant Generals in history, even took his army into Spain and, with elephants, marched across the Alps to attack Rome. Eventually Carthage succumbed and was destroyed.

Today, looking at Tunisia's beautiful beaches, its exciting night life and its millions of European tourists, the tides of history nevertheless come to mind. Carthage was a Semitic creation, the capital of a trading people descended from the Phoenicians who ruled from the eastern Mediterranean across North Africa and into Spain. Rome was Europe, which eventually triumphed over the Middle Eastern Semites.

The European triumph did not last. In the seventh century Muslim Arabs from the Arabian Peninsula swept back and their descendants, the Arab Moors, ruled parts of Europe, particularly Spain, for nearly 800 years. Back and forth it goes, Europe and the Middle East, each unable to leave the other alone. Today it is the United States and Israel seeking to rule a part of the Middle East in Palestine, with the Middle East resisting determinedly, but with not much unity of effort. The Arab League, headquartered at Tunis, represents 22 countries with a population of nearly 200 million and a land area roughly one and a half times the size of the United States. Linguistic and cultural unity are strong, but political coordination in countries only recently freed from colonial domination by Europe is weak.

Although there are tensions between the United States and the Arab League countries as a whole, relations between Tunisia and the United States are nevertheless cordial. Although there is plenty of room for recriminations, Ambassador Ben Yahia is a listener and conciliator, not one to attack and vent political frustration. For all his verbal abilities he listens more than he talks, and wins understanding for his points of view by listening intelligently to others.

Favors Palestinian Homeland

The Ambassador sees no direct problems between the United States and Tunisia, but there are indirect problems, such as Palestine, that the two countries have to talk about. He calls for a just and durable solution that permits the Palestinians to live at peace in their own homeland.

Educated at the University of Tunis and Columbia University in New York, the Ambassador is married to Nagel Ben Yahyia. He and his wife have a son and a daughter of high school age. They enjoy living in Washington, D.C., where Ambassador Ben Yahia faces the biggest challenge of his diplomatic career, helping to persuade an overwhelmingly powerful United States that, to succeed, its Middle East policies must take into account the realities of the Arab and Islamic worlds.

Andrew I. Killgore, former U.S. Ambassador to Qatar, retired after 32 years in the Foreign Service. He is now a political and economic consultant in Washington, D.C, and also president of the American Educational Trust.