Indonesia awards Tunisian scientist

Indonesia awards Tunisian scientist

JAKARTA: Indonesian Ambassador to Tunisia Musma Musa Abbas, on
behalf of the Indonesian government, has presented the Jasa
Pratama medal to Tunisian scientist Rachid Driss for his
contribution to the friendly relations between Indonesia and the
North African country.

At the conferment ceremony in Tunis, Rachid was represented by
his only grand-child, Jihane. Rachid failed to turn up for the
ceremony because he had been hospitalized since March 5.

The Indonesian ambassador said Driss was also a Tunisian
fighter who began his diplomatic career in Jakarta.

"This is a proof that historical ties between the two
countries had existed even before Tunisian independence," Musma
said.

Rachid wrote two books on Indonesia, titled "From Bob Souika
to Manhattan," (1980) and "From Jakarta to Carthage" (1986).

The two books dwell on the close relations between then
presidents Sukarno and Habib Bourguiba during their countries'
struggle for independence. -- Antara