French Parliament Discusses a New Law on Military Cooperation with Algeria

French National Assembly (parliament) started the study of a new draft law about the military cooperation between Algeria and France, which is the second of its kind between the two countries, after the technical cooperation agreement, dating back to 45 years ago.

The draft of this agreement identified the frameworks of cooperation between Algeria and Paris, especially in the field of military cooperation and armament (the development of defense system), the exchange of security information, training and the fight against terrorism, as well as the development of strategic cooperation in the issues that threaten the stability of the two signatories.

The project also speaks about “access to weapons and modernization of systems, equipment and gear of defense, and the exchange of information of a military character, according to the results expected from the agreement.

The agreement of cooperation in defense between Algiers and Paris, came as a result of negotiations which begun in 2003, and culminated on 21 June 2008 with the signing of a preliminary agreement which, “determines in one hand, the initiatives taken in this area, and on the other hand, the provisions relating to the Status of the French employees in Algeria ‮ “‭.

According to the preamble of the draft law, “after the military and defense relationships between France and Algeria since 2000 started a new dynamic, embodied by the state visit, which led the French president at the time, Jacques Chirac, and the visit of the President of the general staff of the French army after him, which is the first of its kind since independence .. the joint determination dedicated to strengthen military cooperation between the two countries, manifested through high-level consultations .. However, this cooperation remained devoid of appropriate legal framework, with the exception of the technical cooperation agreement on December, 6, 1967. “

The project for the establishment of an Algerian French mixed committee, chaired alternately by representatives of the ministries of defense in the two countries, serving as a consultation body, entrusted with the task of controlling aspects of bilateral cooperation in defense matters, which meets at least once a year, and assessing the level of cooperation in the past, ‭and put a working plan for the future.

In this context, the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, decides to raise the financial envelope allocated to the structural cooperation, directed to the Directorate of security and defense cooperation with Algeria, to 176.000 euros, the beginning of 2011, over three years. As this money is expected to be spent, according to the document, with the formation of Algerian staff ‭in the French school of ‭war,‬ and the‬ organization of forums and other training symposiums.