Bouteflika to visit Paris for France-Africa summit

[Al-khiyal]

Official sources have told El-Khabar that the President of the Republic, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, is to take part in the France-Africa Summit, in Cannes, on the weekend of February 15 and 16. The summit will gather French President, Jacques Chirac, and African leaders. The last summit took place in the Malian capital, Bamako, where the Algerian delegation was chaired by Foreign Minister, Mohamed Bedjaoui.

President Bouteflika’s visit to France comes following the visit paid to Algeria by Jean-Louis Debré, head of the French National Assembly (parliament), who handed a letter to Bouteflika from the French President, Jacques Chirac, on bilateral relations. After he met Bouteflika, Debré told the press the letter was a “friendship message from France to Algeria”, describing the talks he had with President Bouteflika as “upfront”. Debré is believed to have made big efforts to convince Bouteflika to partake in the summit.

The last visit the President of the Republic made to France occurred in April 2006 for a medical check up, a visit that raised a media campaign against Bouteflika criticizing his attitude as to the friendship treaty Paris has been insisting should be signed before the end of Chirac’s presidential mandate, next spring. For its part, Algiers is clinging to its position of asking France to beg pardon for the crimes perpetrated against Algerian people during the French occupation (1830-1962) in exchange for the conclusion of a friendship treaty with Paris. The latter tried last year to get Algiers change its attitude, the latest attempt was made by Nicolas Sarkozy, Interior minister and right-wing candidate for Presidential elections, who said on November, in Algiers: “children cannot apologize for their parents’ mistakes”.

The France-Africa Summit will consider a number of economic and political issues, such as prevention of conflicts, development and preservation of natural resources - especially water and agriculture - discussing of health and education related topics and how to strengthen regional organizations in terms of safeguarding peace and security in addition to discussions on the new African partnership (Nepad) of which Bouteflika is one the cofounders, together with the presidents of South Africa and Nigeria.

Our sources did not rule out a meeting between President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and French President Jacques Chirac on the sideline of the summit, calling it “last talks between both men” before Chirac leaves the Elysée Presidential Palace.

Bouteflika to visit Paris mid-February

[Al-khiyal]

Chirac hopes to revive talks on friendship treaty

[Al-khiyal]

French Constitutional Council President Pierre Mazeaud wrapped up his three-day visit to Algiers on Sunday (February 11th). During the visit, Mazeaud met with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, where he presented a message from French President Jacques Chirac, in which the latter voiced his will to "resume" the negotiations on the friendship agreement between the two countries.

Also on Sunday, El Khabar daily reported that Bouteflika will attend the Africa-France summit, later this week in Cannes.

France's Mazeaud wraps up visit to Algeria

[Al-khiyal]

ALGIERS, Feb 14 (KUNA) -- Algerian President Abdulaziz Bouteflika headed on Wednesday to the French city of Cannes to participate in the 24th round of talks between government and heads of state of France and Africa.

Bouteflika will participate in a seminar during the summit accompanied by Algerian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Bedjaoui, Minister of Urban Planning and the Environment Cherif Rahmani, along with other high ranking Algerian officials.

The seminar will tackle issues of the African continent, development portfolios, peace in Africa and international aid and cooperation offered to the continent.

Algerian President heads to France to attend France-Africa summit