APS : Thursday, 01 October 2020
ALGIERS- US Secretary of Defense Mark Thomas Esper underlined Thursday, in Algiers, his country’s willingness to strengthen cooperation with Algeria in the military field and the fight against terrorism.
We broached ways and means to strengthen the bilateral cooperation, notably in the field of counterterrorism and cooperation between the two countries’ armies, said Esper at the end of the audience granted to him by President of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
Other issues were also broached like the respect of the States’ sovereignty and freedoms, as well as issues of common interest, he added.
I also had the honor to go to the Martyr’s Sanctuary to lay a wreath to the memory of the martyrs of the Revolution for the independence of Algeria, won thanks to the sacrifice of 1.5 million martyrs, said the US Secretary of Defense.
He thanked the President of the Republic for “the warm welcome and hospitality” he received during his visit to Algeria.
The audience was also an opportunity to examine the situation in the Sahel, notably the crisis in Libya.
In this respect, the two sides agreed to continue their consultations and coordination to strengthen peace and security in the region as part of the respect of the unity and sovereignty of States.
At the end of this meeting, the President of the Republic offered lunch, at the headquarters of the Presidency of the Republic, to his guest and the delegation accompanying him. The two sides exchanged symbolic presents.
The audience took place in the presence of the delegation accompanying the US Secretary of Defense and of chargé d’affaires at the American embassy in Algeria, on the American side, and of Lieutenant General Said Chanegriha, Chief of Staff of the People’s National Army, Private Principle Secretary at the Presidency of the Republic Noureddine Bardad-Daidj, and of Major General Mohammed Bouzit, director general of Information and Exterior Security at the Ministry of National Defense, on the Algerian side.
