<p>US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday spoke by telephone with Tunisian President Kais Saied to urge respect for democracy after he sacked the government.</p>.<p>In his call, the top US diplomat urged Saied to "maintain open dialogue with all political actors and the Tunisian people," the State Department said in a statement.</p>.<p>"He encouraged President Saied to adhere to the principles of democracy and human rights that are the basis of governance in Tunisia," it said.</p>.<p>Blinken also promised US support on Tunisia's economy and fight against Covid-19, a key factor in protests that erupted around the nation and led Saied on Sunday to dismiss the prime minister and suspend parliament.</p>.<p>President Joe Biden's administration, which considers democracy promotion a key priority, earlier voiced alarm over the situation in the birthplace of the Arab Spring.</p>.<p>"Tunisia must not squander its democratic gains. The United States will continue to stand on the side of Tunisia's democracy," State Department spokesman Ned Price said.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/tunisian-president-is-a-political-outsider-accused-of-a-coup-1012894.html" target="_blank">Tunisian president is a political outsider accused of a coup</a></strong></p>.<p>Price said the United States was "troubled" by the closing of media offices and urged "scrupulous respect for freedom of expression and other civil rights."</p>.<p>White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said it was too early to determine whether Saied had carried out a coup, saying the State Department would carry out a legal analysis.</p>.<p>Under domestic law, the United States is obligated to cut off direct assistance to governments that came to power by overthrowing elected leaders.</p>.<p>The law has occasionally led the State Department to go through bureaucratic contortions when it does not want to curb aid, as when Egypt's then military chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi overthrew an elected Islamist government in 2013.</p>.<p>Tunisia had often been cited as the greatest success story of the Arab Spring, the tumult sparked across the region after Mohamed Bouazizi, a university graduate who could only find work as a fruit vendor, self-immolated in December 2010.</p>
<p>US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday spoke by telephone with Tunisian President Kais Saied to urge respect for democracy after he sacked the government.</p>.<p>In his call, the top US diplomat urged Saied to "maintain open dialogue with all political actors and the Tunisian people," the State Department said in a statement.</p>.<p>"He encouraged President Saied to adhere to the principles of democracy and human rights that are the basis of governance in Tunisia," it said.</p>.<p>Blinken also promised US support on Tunisia's economy and fight against Covid-19, a key factor in protests that erupted around the nation and led Saied on Sunday to dismiss the prime minister and suspend parliament.</p>.<p>President Joe Biden's administration, which considers democracy promotion a key priority, earlier voiced alarm over the situation in the birthplace of the Arab Spring.</p>.<p>"Tunisia must not squander its democratic gains. The United States will continue to stand on the side of Tunisia's democracy," State Department spokesman Ned Price said.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/tunisian-president-is-a-political-outsider-accused-of-a-coup-1012894.html" target="_blank">Tunisian president is a political outsider accused of a coup</a></strong></p>.<p>Price said the United States was "troubled" by the closing of media offices and urged "scrupulous respect for freedom of expression and other civil rights."</p>.<p>White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said it was too early to determine whether Saied had carried out a coup, saying the State Department would carry out a legal analysis.</p>.<p>Under domestic law, the United States is obligated to cut off direct assistance to governments that came to power by overthrowing elected leaders.</p>.<p>The law has occasionally led the State Department to go through bureaucratic contortions when it does not want to curb aid, as when Egypt's then military chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi overthrew an elected Islamist government in 2013.</p>.<p>Tunisia had often been cited as the greatest success story of the Arab Spring, the tumult sparked across the region after Mohamed Bouazizi, a university graduate who could only find work as a fruit vendor, self-immolated in December 2010.</p>