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Washington, Feb 8 (PTI) In view of the massive protest in Tunisia and Egypt against their rulers, other governments in the region need to address longstanding political and economic grievances of their people, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said today.

"What we have seen in Tunisia and Egypt is spontaneous manifestation of discontent on part of the people for both economic and political reasons. We have known about these grievances for a long time," Gates said.

"We have spoken to a number of governments in the region overtime about the need to address these concerns," Gates said during a news conference with the visiting French Minister of Defence Alain Juppe.

He hoped that other governments in the region seeing this spontaneous action in both Tunisia and Egypt will take measures to begin moving in a positive direction to address the political and economic grievances of the people.

"This way, seems to me, we can have an orderly transition to greater democracy and frankly to address the economic problems that exist in their countries," he said, adding that addressing these concerns is very important.

The visiting French Defence Minister said that the views of the two countries are similar on Egypt and Tunisia.

Juppe stressed on the need to have free and fair election in these countries and hoped that the process in Egypt would take place without violence and as soon as possible.

"It is up to the people of the two countries to decide about that. We are ready to support whatever decision they make," he said.

The French minister said that one of the trademarks of both the regimes is to prevent the opposition to express their views or to let the opposition force to organise.

Many of the leaders of these countries for a long time have been telling us it is either them in place or Islamic chaos, he said.

"We now have to bet on democratic forces that will emerge and will not confiscate democracy in favour of other things, as unfortunately has happened elsewhere," Juppe said.

Gates, however praised the Egyptian military for their exemplary conduct during the ongoing political unrest in the country.

"They have acted with great restraint. Frankly they have done everything that we had indicated, we would hope that they would do. So I would say that they have made a contribution to the evolution of democracy in Egypt," he said.
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