French President Nicolas Sarkozy dismissed concerns over Tunisia's human rights record on Monday, portraying its counter-terrorism efforts as a bulwark against the emergence of a "Taliban-type" regime in north Africa.
 
In a speech at the start of a trip aimed at boosting economic ties with one of France's closest Arab allies, Sarkozy said he would not give lessons on human rights and Tunisia had made advances in granting more personal freedoms.
 
Tunisia is the Maghreb's most westernised state, but rights groups accuse the government of muzzling the press and beating and jailing opponents. It denies the accusations.
 
Sarkozy said President Zine al Abidine Ben Ali was fighting against terrorism, "which is the true enemy of democracy".
 
"For France the fight undertaken here is important," he said. "Because who could believe that if tomorrow, or after tomorrow, a Taliban type regime was established in one of your countries in north Africa, that Europe and France could feel secure? I call on everyone to reflect on that."
 
Tunisian authorities have cracked down on anyone showing a readiness to join al Qaeda abroad or build support for it at home. Local lawyers say about 1,000 people have been arrested since 2003 on terrorism charges, including for recruiting fighters for the Iraqi insurgency against U.S.-led forces.
 
Earlier Sarkozy and Ben Ali oversaw the signing of accords on nuclear cooperation, migration and aid.
 

 
DEALS
 
Sarkozy's office said French heavy engineering group Alstom had won a bidding race to build a 700-megawatt conventional power station in Tunisia and the 360 million euros ($564 million) deal would be signed in coming days.
 
A French diplomatic source said European aircraft maker Airbus was expected to sign a deal to sell 16 passenger aircraft to Tunis Air for one billion euros ($1.57 billion).
 
Sarkozy's visit is the latest in a series of trips to North Africa that have seen multibillion dollar deals between French companies and customers in Morocco, Libya and Algeria.
 
But the visit to the country of 10 million is likely to anger human rights activists who want France to put more pressure on the government to improve human rights.
 
About 15,000 Tunisians greeted Sarkozy, his wife Carla alongside him, and Tunisian President Zine al Abidine Ben Ali as they walked on Habib Bourguiba street in downtown Tunis.
 
Sarkozy, accompanied by seven ministers, earlier held talks with Ben Ali on reinforcing a "strategic partnership" before overseeing the signing of the three accords, officials said.
 
The 20-year nuclear agreement on training engineers and exchanging expertise is similar to nuclear energy deals signed by France with Algeria, Libya and Morocco in recent months.
 
The accord could open the way for France to sell nuclear plants in the future provided the European Union Commission and the European Euratom nuclear agency approve, officials said.
 
That agreement on aid increases assistance to Tunisia to help it upgrade its economy and bolster the export competitiveness.
 
The accord on migration is intended to control legal migration and fight clandestine immigration, officials said.