Algeria : Opposition Party leader Calls For International Monitoring Of 2009 Elections

Speaking from the US , the leader of the Rally for Culture and Democracy party (RCD), Said Saadi asked from the international community to supervise the upcoming presidential elections in Algeria .

The opposition party leader declared that the international institutions have to guarantee” an exhaustive and reliable supervision of the next presidential elections in Algeria “, showing skepticism as to the fairness of the operation.

Speaking in front of the US Committee for Foreign Affairs in New York, Said Saadi said ” If Algeria succeeds to avoid a Brejnev-like results ( making reference to the former USSR leader) in the 2009 presidential elections , that will pave the way for the unification of the north African countries fulfilling , thus the dream of the three countries’ nationalists”.

Said Saadi took part in a forum on “Crisis and the United States of America ” upgraded by the presence of several experts and US diplomats.

“It is not my intent to dictate to Algeria’s partners their duties, but it is clear their any support to a totalitarian regime will not serve in fight extremism and will strengthen instead”, he said.

The leader of the Democratic party linked what he qualifies as religious extremism to “the political stalemate and corruption prevailing the country’s institutions”

Said Saadi stressed on the political stability saying” Instability in Algeria has an implication on the entire north African region”. According to him, the solution lies in ” fair elections enabling the Algerian people to chose his own leaders”