Algerian archives held in France to be returned soon to Algeria , says French Ambassador
الشروق أونلاين
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Bernard Bajolet, French Ambassador to Algeria
The French Ambassador to Algiers Bernard Bajolet has confirmed that France is set to hand over soon the remaining archives covering the 1830-1962 French colonisation period in Algeria in line with an official request made, to this effect, by the Algerian state authorities.Mr Bajolet refuted on this occasion as groundless earlier reports saying that France was unwilling to deliver the relevant archives in spite of Algeria ’s declared desire to retrieve such historical documents.
He indicated that some archives had already been returned to Algeria notably audio-visual ones covering the 1967-2001 period following the signing recently of an accord on the matter between the French audio-visual Institute and the Algerian Television.
The French Ambassador, however, asserted that some archives pertaining to the French colonial presence in Algeria were still the subject of divergences between the two sides owing to the very sensitive nature of these documents.
These archives, he said, were now under a thorough perusal on the part of historians and researchers in the hope of finding a final compromise on the matter.
Meanwhile, Mr Bernard Bajolet reacted, on the occasion, to a recent statement made by Algerian Prime Minister Abdellaziz Belkhadem who had expressed his utter dissatisfaction at recent encounters bringing together Algerian political party leaders and foreign diplomats posted in Algiers .
The French Ambassador underlined, in this respect, that his diplomatic representation had no intention whatsoever to interfere in Algeria’s internal affairs stressing that the recent meetings with some Algerian political party leaders and civil society members were only designed to deepen the trust and understanding between Algeria and France at all levels.
