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EDITORS: SEE ALSO PROD NUMBER 10186/63, DECEMBER 15 "BIZERTA PARADE"

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Tunisia's first oil refinery has been officially opened by President Habib Bourguiba of Tunisia, during the three-day celebrations held to mark the withdrawal of France forces from the powerful naval-air base at Bizerta.

The opening of the refinery on Saturday, (December 14), was made in the presence of visiting heads of state, including President Ben Bella of Algeria, who flew to Tunisia to join in the celebration.The Bizerta base, for more than 80-years a French naval stronghold on the Mediterranean, is to have a new lease of life under Tunisian rule.

Although the last French troops left Bizerta on October 15, the base has already been converted into a repair depot for ships and nearby, Tunisia's first steel plant will rise.The refinery itself, will ultimately have a capacity of 1.5-million tons annually.

Agreement for French withdrawal from Bizerta followed last year's resumption of diplomatic relations between Tunisia and France.Relations were cut in 1961, after a three day battle when Tunisian army and volunteer units besieged the base in an effort to force the French with evacuate.