ALGERIA: French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrives in Algeria, seeking to improve an uneasy relationship, and to seal billions in trade deals

Record ID: 573976

  • Title: ALGERIA: French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrives in Algeria, seeking to improve an uneasy relationship, and to seal billions in trade deals
  • Date: 4th December 2007
  • Summary: FLAGS FLYING WIDE OF OFFICIALS
  • Embargoed: 19th December 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Algeria
  • Country: Algeria
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA48V65P87VLKS4C78UAX1FNI8Z
  • Story Text: French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Algeria on Monday (December 3) to seal more than 7 billion U.S. dollars in trade deals and to seek improvement of an uneasy relationship still overshadowed by controversy over France's former colonial rule.
    Recent hostile comments from Algerian officials about Sarkozy's refusal to apologise for killings during the 132-year colonial period initially stirred fears the business-focused state visit could be scrapped.
    But Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika told Sarkozy last week the statements did not express the Algerian position and he remained welcome to visit.
    The two leaders met for talks at Bouteflika's official residence in Algiers. Later, in a speech to French and Algerian business leaders, Sarkozy sought to clarify France's view of the past.
    He said the colonial system was deeply unfair, and contrary to the the three founding words of the French our republic: liberty, equality, fraternity.
    The French president said deals worth more than 5 billion euros (7.33 billion U.S. dollars) would be signed with Algeria on Tuesday (December 4), including tram lines, railways, dams, petrochemicals, power stations and a civil nuclear energy cooperation accord.
    Algeria's often strained political ties with France have little impact on extensive trade links that have made France the biggest investor in Algeria outside the gas and oil sector.
    France invaded Algeria in 1830 and a century later was host to more than 1 million French settlers.
    A war begun in 1954 by Algerian fighters cost hundreds of thousands of lives -- Algiers says 1.5 million -- before independence in 1962.
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