Algeria Committed to Hold Elections Within Rigid Frame, Medelci

Algeria is committed to hold parliamentary elections within a rigid organizational frame, said Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci Monday, at the arrival of the EU Commissioner European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle.

The EU officer has begun Monday a two-day working visit in Algeria, in bid to boost bilateral relations and discuss the Association Agreement and other issues of common interest. He was welcomed at Algiers International Airport by Mr Medelci. At his arrival, Mr Stefan Füle told reporters that “Algeria is a key country for the EU, pleading for “reinforcing bilateral relations between the two parties.” It is the third visit of Mr Füle to the North African nation since June 2010. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister, Mourad Medelci stated that since the last visit of Mr Stefan Füle to Algiers in May 2011, “Algeria has made progress in several aspects,” stressing that the North African nation is committed to hold parliamentary elections with a “rigid” organizational frame. “This frame will ensure high turnout and enable political parties to work with more liberty and more responsibility,” Mr Medelci specified, noting that the same measure has been taken towards local associations “which can by now work together and with foreign associations, but within a transparent frame.” The visit of the EU official to Algiers will evoke several issues, including the Association Agreement, and the upcoming elections in Algeria, to which EU monitors have been invited. The two parties will seal the framework agreement on scientific, technology, and innovation research, FM spokesman, Amar Belani said earlier.