APS : Tuesday, 18 October 2016
ALGIERS- Speaker of the People’s National Assembly (Lower House) Mohamed Larbi Ould Khelifa said Tuesday that the relations between Algeria and India are set to develop, boosted by the diplomatic consultation and reinforced cooperation.
Algeria and India “are linked by longstanding relations which are set to improve thanks to the diplomatic consultation and reinforced cooperation in all fields,” said Ould Khelifa during his meeting with Vice-president of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari, on a three-day official visit to Algeria at the head of an important delegation.
Algeria, which has implemented political and economic reforms, now offers a climate conducive to investment, he said, stressing that the “political reforms initiated by President of the Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika yielded fruits, especially after the adoption by Parliament of the constitutional revision which consolidated liberties and human rights.”
The Lower House speaker called for “promoting economic cooperation between the two countries, notably in the fields of the pharmaceutical industry, agriculture, space research and Information and Communication Technologies,” pointing out that the cooperation in this fields will “boost the bilateral relations in the best interests of the two countries and their peoples.”
Regarding the international issues, Ould Khelifa warned against terrorism that seeks to “disintegrate states and peoples,” recalling the tragedy Algeria faced because of this scourge.
In the same respect, he recalled that the efforts of the president who initiated the national reconciliation policy paid off and protected the Algerian people against division.
Chairman of the Lower House cited Western Sahara issue and reiterated the position of Algeria advocating a just solution to the conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front in accordance with UN resolutions.
The question of Western Sahara is completely different from that of Kashmir,” said Ould Khelifa.
The Algerian approach for crises settlement is based on peaceful dialogue, and the rejection of violence and the foreign interference in the internal affairs of the countries, insisted Ould Khelifa.
As for him, the Vice-President of India said that the main objective of his visit to Algeria is to instill a new dynamic to the relations between the two countries in a bid to raise their bilateral cooperation to the required level.
He said that the two countries have the possibility to develop their relations notably in the fields of
agriculture, environment, legal cooperation and the peaceful use of the atomic energy.
Concerning the Sahrawi question, he said that his country is in favour of peaceful solution to the Western Sahara conflict, which is different to that of Kashmir.
About terrorist threats, the Indian Vice President called for an international convention to fight terrorism in all its forms.
