20091201

TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was carrying out public duties this week after taking most of last week off work to recover from a throat illness.

State media said the 73-year-old head of state received the prime minister and the leaders of political parties on Monday and on Tuesday Ben Ali spoke at an economic conference in Carthage north of the capital Tunis.

Spain's King Juan Carlos had been due to visit Tunisia last week but the trip was cancelled after Ben Ali's personal physician advised him to rest for five days to recover from an acute pharynx inflammation.

Ben Ali has led the north African country for 22 years. He won a fifth term in office last month with 89.62 percent of the vote.