Tayeb Zitouni: “President Macron’s Remarks About Memory File Are Positive”

The Minister of Mujahideen or War Veterans, Mr. Tayeb Zitouni, said on Thursday that statements by French President Emmanuel Macron on the memory file were a “positive initiative”.

The Minister said in a statement to the press on the sidelines of the open doors on the activity of the National Center for Studies and Research in the National Movement and the Glorious Revolution of November 1st, 1954, that the statement made by the French President during his recent visit to Algeria was “a positive initiative that bodes well.”

He stressed that the French President’s statement would “push forward the processing of the memory file and the issue of retrieving the skulls of Algerian Martyrs from France, in the framework of the work of joint committees between the two countries.”

“The burning memory file cannot be resolved by a single visit or press release, because this issue requires effective solutions,” Mr. Tayeb Zitouni underlined.

On the other hand, the Minister valued the presence of the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Mujahideen within the ministerial delegation led by Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia, currently in Paris as part of the proceedings of the high-level Algerian-French inter-governmental joint committee.

The French President announced on Wednesday during his visit to Algeria that France has decided to return the skulls of Algerian Martyrs currently held at the Museum of Man in Paris, stressing that the French authorities have taken a decision to initiate this process, adding that a piece of legislation will be finalized shortly for the purpose.

The French President highlighted his desire to forge ahead in building a common memory so that “we can make progress and make gestures from one side and another in order to seal the outstanding memory issue”.