French FM meets Algerian President

Algerian President Abdul Aziz Bouteflika met here Monday with visiting French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. Talks during the meeting dealt with bilateral ties between the two countries and means of promoting them besides a number of issues of mutual concern. Fabius, who arrived in Algiers last night on a two-day working visit, said after meeting with Algerian counterpart Mourad Medelci that his visit to Algeria aims at giving a "new impetus to the bilateral partnership" between the two countries. Fabius said their talks focused on such issues as defense cooperation, economy and the movement of people. Fabius said the two countries share common views on both bilateral and multilateral issues. "France agrees with Algeria that the crisis in Mali should be settled by setting up a more broadly representative government and ensuring the territorial integrity and development there," he said. For his part, Medelci said the two parties have agreed to boost cooperation on particular issues, including the movement of people between Algeria and France. On issues regarding the colonial past between the two nations, Medelci said: "Algeria won't forget it, and the two nations have to work together in an intelligent way to deal with this issue." Algiers is still requiring Paris to make an apology for the 130-year colonial rule and the crimes perpetrated during that era. Medelci said Fabius' visit was also aimed at preparing for a visit by newly elected French President Francois Hollande to Algiers later this year.