France did not prepare to welcome Tunisia's Ben Ali
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France did not prepare to welcome ousted Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali on its territory, the French Foreign Ministry said Friday.
France "didn't receive any request to receive" Ben Ali and would closely examining all potential requests "in accordance with Tunisian constitutional authorities," the ministry said in a statement.
Citing a French police source, local TV channel BFM reported earlier a plane carrying fleeing Ben Ali was heading to Paris. When inquired by Xinhua, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Romain Nadal said the ministry can't confirm the report.
"France took note of the constitutional transition announced by Prime Minister (Mohammed) Ghannouchi," the Elysee Palace said in a statement, urging "only dialogue can bring a lasting and democratic solution to the current crisis."
Reports coming out of Tunisia said the President Ben Ali had fled the country late Friday as deadly riots were amounting in the capital Tunis. Ghannouchi has taken over as interim president of the Northern African country.
