News from Algeria 2006

[Al-khiyal]

PARIS, (AFP) - Thousands of celebrating fans occupied the Champs-Elysees here on Wednesday as France qualified for its second World Cup final in eight years.

"We're in the final," the crowd chanted on the renowned avenue where one million people celebrated when France won the World Cup on home soil in 1998.

They will have another chance to gather on Sunday when France take on Italy in Berlin's Olympic Stadium.

Elsewhere in the capital, 25,000 fans gathered at the Charlety stadium to follow the action from Munich.

A first-half penalty from Zinedine Zidane settled the match in Munich, sparking wild scenes of celebration.

The goal from Zidane, who scored twice in the 1998 final and will now end his professional career by playing in another, was cheered especially loudly in his birthplace, the southern city of Marseille, where around 2,000 people watched the match on a giant screen in the Old Port area.

They were also watching every kick of the match in the Algerian village of Aguemoune, 260 kilometres east of Algiers, where Zidane's parents come from.

The "Cafe de Zizou", named in honour of the inspirational midfielder, erupted in joy at the final whistle and people hugged, kissed and danced and owner Said Arkoub kept his promise of buying everyone a drink if France won.

"We are proud of being, in a small way, close to the prodigy," he said.

And in the northern French port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, they were toasting Franck Ribery, the attacking midfielder who has emerged as a new star of the team.

Joyous scenes from Paris to Algeria as France reach final

[Al-khiyal]

ISLAMABAD, July 6 (APP): Algerian Ambassador to Pakistan called on Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani here on Thursday.

The Minister said that the establishment of the Youth Parliament was a major initiative by the present government to involve its youth in the decision-making process.

Senator Durrani also apprised him of the decisions taken in the recently held Information Ministers’ Conference at Yemen.

He said that Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), the official news agency of Pakistan, has already started its Arabic news service and efforts were underway to further improve it so as its services could benefit all the countries of the Arab World.

The Ambassador appreciated the role of Pakistan in promoting harmony amongst the Muslim World and President Musharraf’s efforts to make Pakistan a moderate society and a role model for rest of the Muslim Ummah.

The Ambassador further said that the economic relations between the two countries witnessed a phenomenal increase for the last couple of years and hoped that it would be promoted further in years to come.

Algerian Ambassador calls on Information Minister

[Al-khiyal]

Algeria will host soon an international conference of Palestinian women, Workers Party (PT) leader Louisa Hanoune declared Wednesday in Algiers.

International conference of Palestinian women in Algeria

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Palestine News Network, 6 July 06 - - An unnamed high-ranking Arab diplomat in London told PNN yesterday that Syrian President Bashar Al Assad and Head of the the Hamas Political Bureau, Khaled Mesha'al, met in Damascus, Mesha'al’s place of exile. An argument ensued regarding the issue of Israeli warplanes flying over Assad’s palace on the same day that the Israeli government announced it planned to assassinate Mesha'al.

According to the source, who insisted on high anonymity, the Syrian President requested that Mesha'al order an immediate release of the captured Israeli soldier in the Gaza Strip, citing the Egyptian opinion and the repercussions against the Hamas party abroad.

The source added that the political leader of Hamas felt that something in Damascus had changed after meeting with Assad. No response or positive talks occurred with Assad after that meeting. Mesha'al, his family, personal deputy, and most members of the Hamas political and media offices, left the country for Algeria.

Hamas political leader, Khaled Mesha'al, leaves exile in Damascus, travels to Algeria, after tension with Syrian president over Israeli warplanes and threats

[Al-khiyal]

The Algerian Ambassador to Tanzania Mr Abdelmoun’aam Ahriz has encouraged young graduates in Agriculture in Tanzania to join the budding sector, for fast development citing his country’s successful experience on the matter.

Mr Ahriz who paid a courtesy visit to the Tanzania Standard Newspapers (TSN) office in Dar es Salaam said Algeria has registered remarkable achievements in agriculture by involving college graduates in the sector.

“All graduates with diplomas in agriculture in Algeria are engaged in agricultural activities and they like it” he said.

Ambassador Ahriz added that although 80 percent of his country was desert, they have made great strides in agriculture by harvesting rainwater and utilizing irrigation.

Ambassador Ahriz and TSN Managing Editor (ME) Isaac Mruma also discussed political issues in Algeria where the Ambassador told Mr Mruma that the country had now secured lasting peace after many years of civil turmoil in the country.

“Many armed groups disbanded and surrendered by early 2000 as result of a successful peace and national reconciliation process which started in 1999” he said.

The Ambassador also took the opportunity to praise Tanzanian students studying in his country for their exemplary discipline and academic performance over they years.

On his part Mr Mruma thanked the ambassador for giving scholarships to Tanzanians to study in Algeria and for the country’s long-term support to Tanzania.

The ME told the ambassador that TSN plans to modernise and commercialise its archives which is one of the oldest in the country, keeping speeches national leaders, statements, photos and government policy documents for easy access by the public at modest fee.

Mr Mruma also informed his guest that TSN intended to introduce a Swahili newspaper, which would be out before the first anniversary of the fourth phase government.

Algerian Ambassador upbeat on agriculture

[Al-khiyal]

The Commonwealth of Dominica established diplomatic relations with the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria as part of the Labour Party Government vigorous policy to expand diplomatic relations with States from the developing countries.

The Joint Communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Commonwealth of Dominica and the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria was signed by H.E. Mr. Crispin Gregoire, Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Dominica to the United Nations, and H.E. Mr. Youcef Yousfi, Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Algeria to the United Nations.

The Joint Communiqué states, “The two Governments have agreed to develop diplomatic relations, friendship and co-operation between their two countries on the basis of principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs and mutual benefit, and peaceful co-existence”.

Over the last four years, The Commonwealth of Dominica, and other member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have actively supported Algeria’s advocacy position at the United Nations on self-determination for the people of Western Sahara.

At the signing ceremony, the two countries pledged to deepen bilateral relations, explore functional areas of cooperation, and to support each other on issues of mutual interest at the United Nations. The Algerian Permanent Representative took the opportunity to congratulate Dominica on its recent admission as a member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Algeria, a member State of the African Union located in North Africa, is one of the influential countries in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

From Dominica’s perspective, this relationship is significant because it signifies formalization of relations with another member State of the African Union. Under the broad framework for expanding diplomatic relations, Dominica plans to increase bilateral relations with additional member States of the African Union.

Dominica establishes diplomatic relations with Algeria

[Al-khiyal]

São Paulo - Tunisia and Algeria will be represented at the 2nd Conference of Intellectuals from Africa and the Diaspora (CIAD), which will gather about 1,000 intellectuals and political leaders from many countries next week in Salvador, capital city of the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Algeria will send representatives from the government and Tunisia from their embassy in Brasilia, according to information from the Itamaraty, the Brazilian Foreign Office, which is working in the organisation of the conference. The meeting, whose main topic will be African culture, takes place between Wednesday (12) and Friday (14) at the Conventions Centre of Salvador.

The conference aims at stimulating cooperation between the countries of the African continent and of the diasporas, in other words, those to which the people of Africa migrated and where they live today. Brazil was chosen to host the meeting for having a great population of African origin. The first conference on the theme happened two years ago, in Senegal, country located in Africa. This year, however, the organisation of the event wished that it were held in a country of the diaspora.

The meeting also has the aim of stimulating the contribution of the African intellectuals, from the continent and the diaspora, in the launching of new ideas and world initiatives. During the three days there will be a series of panels and group discussions on themes like development in Africa, the position of women in the continent, the African languages, the perspectives on youth and the local religion. The meeting is promoted by the African Union and will be opened by the president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.....

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