Bouteflika Invites Merkel To Visit Algeria

According to APS, the President Abdelaziz Bouteflika sent, on Tuesday, a letter of congratulations to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel following the victory of her political party in the recent legislative elections of her country.

“I received with great pleasure the news of the victory of your political party in the last German legislative elections, which opens the way for your re-appointment as your country’s chancellor”.

“On behalf of Algerian people and government, I express my heartfelt congratulations on this great success”.

“In recent years, under your leadership, Algeria and Germany were able to strengthen and expand their bilateral cooperation in several fields, and to open new horizons to strengthen these relationships in the interests of our two peoples, and to bring together these promising prospects for Algerian-German friendship and cooperation, and to work with you to continue the fruitful dialogue we have adopted. I am very pleased to invite you to an official visit to Algeria at a date that we will choose through the diplomatic channel.”

Previously on February, the German Chancellor’s visit to Algeria was canceled at the last minute due to “the temporary incapacity of His Excellency Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of the Republic, because of severe pneumonia”, according to a presidential statement.

Same source added that “this visit will be programmed again in a date that will be determined by the two parties later.”

Following the announcement of the postponement of the visit by one day, the government’s statement confirmed that the former Prime Minister, Abdelmalek Sallal, received a phone call from Angela Merkel, in which she reassured of the development of the health situation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and confirmed her full readiness to visit Algeria soon without specifying a date for her visit.