By Libya Herald reporters.
Tripoli, 27 February 2015:
It is being reported that Tunisia is in the process of reopening its consulate in Tripoli. It is being said that eight Tunisian diplomats travelled to the Libyan capital yesterday to be followed by a further ten today.
No confirmation of the move has been forthcoming from the Tunisian Foreign Ministry. One Tunis-based diplomat said he thought that 18 seemed a large number of staff for a consulate, unless perhaps the party included a strong security presence.
If Tunis is indeed re-establishing the consulate, it seems probable that it will seek to confine itself to trade relations and the interests of the still significant number of Tunisian expatriates working in Libya, largely as skilled tradesmen or in catering.
The Tunisian government is likely to seek to avoid suggestion that the renewed consular presence represents any formal recognition of the antigovernment of Omar Al-Hassi and the rump of the old General National Congress. Libya Dawn however, seems certain to capitalise on a Tunisian return as de facto recognition of its own regime and a crack in the international support for the House of Representatives and its government led by Abdullah Al-Thinni.
This article has been amended. It wrongly stated that the consulate was in the Dahra embassy. It is in fact in Nufleen. [/restrict]