U.S.'s Powell not welcome, Tunisia opposition says

TUNIS, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Tunisian human rights groups and opposition parties attacked U.S. policies in the Middle East on Monday and said Secretary of State Colin Powell, due to start a rare North African tour in Tunisia on Tuesday, was not welcome.

"We do not welcome U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell here because the U.S. is occupying Iraq and continuing its support to Israel to kill Palestinians," said Mokhtar Trifi, chairman of the Tunisian Human Rights League, the country's only independent rights group.

"This is the opinion of all human rights groups and democratic parties in Tunisia," Trifi told a meeting attended by several dozen dissidents.

Leaders of five civic groups and opposition parties called for the meeting to air their criticisms of U.S. policies in the region.

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