Ayrault: we have talked with Algeria since 2012 about deported colons’ properties

France’s foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said his country is attached to dialogue with Algeria in a spirit of friendship and calm. In response to a deputy, he said France and Algeria opened a “deep” dialogue about the colons’ properties before Algeria’s independence in 1962.

The minister said the dialogue was launched in 2012 and the French government is attached to its relation with Algeria.

His response was published on Tuesday on the French Official Journal.

This comes as the French government, the Council of the State and the European Court for Human Rights were almost unanimous to accept requests for compensation of colons.

The French deputy said the concerned people are “free” in submitting their requests to Algerian administrative and judicial authorities for compensation.

General Director of the State’s Properties Mohamed Haimour said the Algerian legislation is clear and the State’s properties are national heritage. 

“A total of 250,000 vacant properties for the Black Feet who left Algeria after its independence were recovered by the Algerian State in the end of 2014. The government took a census of them in 2013-2014 and can not be brought back to foreigners,” he said.