Tunisia announces unity government

Tunisia's prime minister has appointed opposition figures to a new unity government in the hope of restoring stability.

Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi said the government would release all political prisoners and investigate anyone with great wealth or suspected of corruption.

Before his announcement, 1,000 people demonstrated in the capital Tunis, some saying they would not accept members of the ousted president's ruling party in the new coalition because they would block reforms.

Mr Ghannouchi is himself a member of the RCD, previously led by ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, and the party retains a significant presence in the new government.

Security forces used water cannon and tear gas and fired shots in the air to disperse the protest.

Mr Ghannouchi said opposition leaders would have cabinet posts, but the ministers of defence, interior, finance and foreign affairs would keep their jobs.

He named Najib Chebbi, founder of the opposition Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), as minister of regional development. Ettajdid party leader Ahmed Ibrahim will be higher education minister and Mustafa Ben Jaafar, head of the Union of Freedom and Labour, health minister.

He said: "We are committed to intensifying our efforts to re-establish calm and peace in the hearts of all Tunisians. Our priority is security, as well as political and economic reform."

Foreign Office minister David Lidington told the House of Commons the change seen in Tunisia in the past few days "is not yet the political reform that many people in that country hope for" and said Britain wanted "an orderly move towards free and fair elections and an expansion of political freedom" in the country.