Sources shed light on the content of meeting between Bouteflika and Clinton over Mali

Algeria and the US have reached an agreement over the Malian crisis, reliable sources have revealed to Echourouk. The same Algerian sources have indicated that the visit of the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last Monday to Algeria was an opportunity for both states to draw out an all- out plan to find a solution to this crisis.

• As to the purported “pressures” applied over Algeria for a military intervention in Mali, the same sources indicated that a military intervention in the North African country should be debated within the UN Security Council.
• “ Algeria will take a sovereign decision on due time in accordance with its own interest above all”, it said.
• The most important thing for the Algerian authorities is to secure their territorial integrity and boundaries. Concrete actions have been taken in this sense, the sources added. Algeria will continue its unflagging support for friendly Malian state in terms of military, technological and intelligence assistance.
• According to sources, the last visit paid by the US Secretary of State to Algeria wound up with drawing up a roadmap that insists on the unity of the Malian territory, which is not prone to any form of discussions, and giving assistance to the Malian government in Bamako.
• Starting serious negotiations with the Touareg rebels and conducting a genuine fight against terrorist groups in this country should be a civil responsibility, it said.
• The in depth negotiations that brought together the Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Hillary Clinton, Algerian FM Mourad Medelci, Energy Minister Youcef Youcefi, the Deputy Defence Minister Abdelmalek Guenaizia and the Minister in charge of African and Maghreaban affairs Abdelkader Messahel, wound up with a general agreement between the two parties over several issues pertaining to the Malian crisis and paved the way for reaching a satisfactory consensus.
• The sources have indicated to Echourouk that Hillary Clinton lauded the pivotal role played by Algeria in draining out terrorist financial sources including its firm condemnation of payment of ransoms to terrorists.