France Calls For Transparency In Algeria Presidential Elections

France called for “full transparency” with respect to the planned Algerian elections and expressed the hope that elections would be held in the best possible circumstances.

Reuters news agency, quoted a spokesman for the French government, Benjamin Griveaux, on Wednesday, as saying: “We have followed Bouteflika’s decision to run in the next presidential elections on April 18, we hope these elections will be held in the best possible conditions and with full transparency in the election campaigns”.

“It is up to the Algerian people to decide and it is the only to choose its leaders, future and this in peace and security. Algeria is a friend and important partner country, and we hope that these elections will give Algeria the necessary impetus to meet the challenges it faces and to respond to the deep requirements of its people”, the Quai d’Orsay’s senior official added.

This is the first official comment from Paris on the current developments in its “old colony”, and this statement reflects France’s great interest in what is happening in Algeria.

Previously, Tunisian President Béji Caid el Sebsi spoke about the developments in Algeria: “Our country (Tunisia) cannot give lessons to others and what is happening in Algeria is its internal affair.

He continued during his participation in the activities of the 40th meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, at the beginning of the week, “The Algerian people, who have resisted colonialism for 130 years, knows of course what to do. Algerians have the right to express their opinion and to choose their rulers freely, but I confirm that I can not give lessons for others”.

The U.S. administration was the first to express its interest in the internal situation in Algeria, and this was on September of last year, as the U.S. Department Of State’s spokesperson, said: “Algeria and America have a fruitful and deep relationship, and it is not only about governments, because the relationships have popular extension as well”.

“America is watching developments closely and there are fruitful discussions with politicians and journalists. This is part of the normal diplomatic engagement, to understand the situation, and America is willing to cooperate with the elected government”.

We understand from the words of US diplomacy that it is the right of the country to “see” closely what is happening and that meetings with the political class in Algeria are not “espionage” but a normal diplomatic work.

In the same context, the same diplomat was asked if Washington supported a fifth term for President Bouteflika, but she merely provided an undeclared general response: “America has a close partnership with the Algerian government, and elections are a matter for Algerian voters”.

For many months, diplomatic missions, especially the Western, have been doing “informational” work to understand what has happened, through meetings between ambassadors and various political parties, and this is the conduct of ambassadors to release reports to their governments so that they can take appropriate positions.