Information Bulletin
December 2003
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Algeria-Portugal : visit of President Jorge Sampaio to Algeria: Promising Prospects for Bilateral Economic Relations

Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio arrived on Tuesday 02/12/03 to Algiers for a three-day-state visit aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation.
President Sampaio's first ever visit to Algeria will enable both leaders to examine the ways and means to strengthen and extend the bases of political consultation, as well as the friendship and cooperation ties between Algeria and Portugal.
Presidents Bouteflika and Sampaio had on Tuesday their first one-to-one talks, extended thereafter to both delegations.
President Sampaio was accompanied by an important delegation composed of ministers and a group of some fifty businessmen.
The Algerian-Portuguese exchanges have recorded a continuous growth in the past years, thanks to the rapprochement between both countries.
If the trade level did not exceed €180 million in 2002, with a trade balance clearly in favour of Algeria, a dynamic development is expected, especially with the interest shown by Transgas to increase imports under the 1994 gas agreement related to the delivery of 2.4 billion m3 of Algerian gas to Portugal.
Algeria covers today all Portugal's gas needs with exports of €150 million, while imports reached €50 million, covering manufactured products such power transformers for Sonelgaz.
The interest of Portuguese investors for Algeria has been conveyed in their participation in the various international invitations to tenders launched by Algeria for the realisation of a number of structuring projects and for aquiring shares in public companies to be privatised.

Suberue firm took an option to acquire 60 % of the national subsidiary of cork Teleza, and Alstom Portugal participates with Dragados in the supply of hydraulic pumping equipment for Beni Haroun station.
Investment opportunities in Algeria were examined during a forum between the business communities of the two countries prior to the third session of the Algerian-Portuguese joint commission scheduled in Lisbon in the 1st quarter 2004.

Visit of Secretary of State Colin Powell to Algiers on 03/12/03.

U.S Secretary of State Colin Powell paid on 03/12/03 a visit to Algiers aimed at fostering cooperation between Algeria and the United States. During his first ever visit to Algeria, Colin Powell confered with Algerian senior officials on the strengthening of the Algerian-American relations and international issues of interest to both countries.
The situation in the Middle East, the latest developments in Iraq and the war on terror shall also be discussed.
A special interest was granted to the fight against international terrorism, especially that Algeria is considered by the U.S administration as an essential partner in the fight against this scourge and its network.
With regard to the bilateral relations, Assistant Secretary of State to the Middle East, William Burns underlined, in his visit here last October, that the relations between Algeria and the United States have never been as good as in the last two years and have been strengthened in various fields, including the fight against terrorism.
The U.S diplomat also expressed his satisfaction with regard to the high level of bilateral cooperation which was considerably reinforced the past four years in the oil and gas, economic, trade, technological and military fields.
The Secretary of State who led an important delegation made up of Assistant Secretary of State to the Middle East, William Burns, and Assistant Secretary of State to Public Affairs, Richard Boucher conducted a press conference shortly before his departure.

Algeria/Spain: Jose Maria Aznar in Algiers to Reinforce Bilateral Relations

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar arrived on 26/11/03 in Algiers on a two day working visit where he had talks with P/resident Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
This visit came in the frame of political consultations set up in accordance with the framework agreement signed during the state visit paid by President Bouteflika to Spain on October 8th, 2002.
Spain's Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's visit, which "confirms both countries' commitment to make their bilateral relations a privileged ones has helped both parties assess exhaustively their political dialogue and cooperation relations.
In this context, both countries expressed their satisfaction with regard to the "significant progress made" in all fields and agreed to work together "to develop" their relations.
While putting forward "the climate of friendship and mutual understanding" which characterised their talks, both sides commended "the new dynamics" conferred to their relations after the implementation of the treaty of friendship, cooperation and neighbourliness signed in October 2002.
They also underlined their "satisfaction" as to "the level of coordination and cooperation set up between both countries in the fight against terrorism, as a transnational scourge threatening the stability and security of the States in the region."

Jose Maria Aznar "Very Satisfied" with the Excellent Algerian-Spanish Relations

Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar of Spain declared that he was "very satisfied with the excellent" Algerian-Spanish relations, which "have reached their highest level" since the signing of the treaty of friendship, cooperation and neighbourhood.
"This framework agreement, signed in October 2002 in Madrid in the course of President Bouteflika's state visit to Spain, has contributed to strengthen the bilateral cooperation in all fields," underlined Jose Maria Aznar in a press conference conducted at the end of the first high level meeting between both countries.
"This treaty shows the excellent state of the relations between Algiers and Madrid in all fields," he went on, pointing out that his country has signed such treaties "only with countries it maintains privileged relations with."
The quality of bilateral relations is due essentially to his personal relations with President Bouteflika and his efforts for achieving stability, security and peace worldwide, Aznar put forward.
Beside, the Spanish Premier reiterated his country's support to the President's efforts for giving concrete expression to the economic reforms and strengthening stability in Algeria.
Jose Maria Aznar, who hailed the ratification of the partnership agreement between Algeria and the European Union (EU) and Algeria's non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council, underlined that Spain would back this country's access to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Touching on economic cooperation, Aznar, "commended" the high level of trade the past three years and pointed out that Algeria and Spain have worked together "in the biggest confidence, complementarity and cordiality, for the interest of both friendly countries."
In this respect, he put forward the interest granted by the Spanish business circles to invest more in Algeria, which proves, he said "Spain's confidence in Algeria's future."
As "strategic economic projects," Prime Minister Aznar mentioned the Med-Gas gas pipeline and the electrical power network set to connect both countries, then Europe, in the near future. He also referred to the conversion of the $50 million Spanish debt into direct investments in Algeria, recalling the financial agreement signed by both countries in 2000, related to $100 million of joint credits.
Jose Maria Aznar also reiterated Spain's "clear cut position" with regard to the Western Sahara issue. "Spain supports the UN Secretary General's efforts to find a solution to this conflict that would be accepted by both parties (Morocco and the Polisario Front), in accordance with the UN peace plan," he pointed out.

AMU Foreign Ministers meet in Algiers.

The Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) Foreign Ministers Council met in Algiers on 22nd and 23rd November 2003 at Algeria's initiative as part of the 5+5 summit scheduled on December 5-6 in Tunisia.
The meeting was attended by AMU Foreign Ministers Habib Ben Yahia of Tunisia, Mohamed Benaissa of Morocco, Mohamed Sall Ould Bilal of Mauritania, Mohamed Chalghem of Libya and Abdelaziz Belkhadem of Algeria.
This meeting which provided a good opportunity for consultation, exchange ideas and dialogue on issues concerning AMU member countries ended with the adoption of the document worked out by experts and examined Thursday by the AMU follow up committee in Tripoli (Libya).

Algeria/Sudan: Salva Kiir Confers about Peace Negotiations with President Bouteflika

The Vice-President of Sudan Liberation People's Movement (MPLS), Salva Kiir pointed out Monday having examined peace negotiations in Sudan with President Bouteflika. "I have examined with President Bouteflika Algeria's role in the implementation of the peace accord in Sudan," Kiir told the press after his audience with the President.
The MPLS president's special envoy stressed that "the six-year transition period must be used for the country's reconstruction".
Peace negotiations between MPLS and the Sudanese government will resume on November 30 in Kenya. Both sides have signed the Machakos agreement in July 2002.
The agreement provides for a six-year autonomy period for the southern part of the country, following which a self-determination referendum will be organised.