UK Foreign Office: we did not ask for Algeria's mediation to Iran

Director Middle East & North Africa Christian Turner said the UK government puts its relations with Algeria and North African countries among its foreign policy priorities. Because of that, it seeks to adopt a rapprochement policy with those countries after they had stayed in the margin of its international agenda for a long time.

• “The UK seeks to reinforce its political ties with Algeria and the Arab Maghreb,” he told reporters in London.
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• “We will work in the next few decades on enhancing Maghrebin countries’ economy so that their societies will be more prosper and stable,” he added.
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• He also said the UK believes that political aspect in those countries should be reformed.
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• “The UK foreign office did not ask Algeria to play any mediation role to Iran.”
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• Some British diplomatic sources in Algeria said London accepted an Algerian proposal submitted by Abdelkader Messahel on his visit to the UK.
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• Christian Turner said the UK foreign office did not have any reserve about reinforcing any country’s relations with Iran. “Iran should solve its problem with the International community in the nuclear program. Tehran has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.”
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• He added that the UK supports Iran’s right to acquire nuclear technology used for peaceful purposes.
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• The UK diplomacy’s representative said the current situation in the Western Sahara does not serve any part in the region. He called on Algeria and Morocco to hold talks to settle this suspended issue.
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• He also said the UK’s position towards Hamas is clear and it has no intention to hold talks to the Islamic resistance movement. “That would weaken President Mahmoud Abbas.”
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• “Israeli settlement in Palestinian lands is illegal and should stop.”
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• Asked about the UK’s possible action to settlement, the British official said the situation is very difficult because of Netanyahu’s increasing popularity in Israel and Obama’s decreasing one. “It is not easy to change the situation. Palestinians and Israelis should come back to direct talks and reach a fair solution to the Palestinian refugees’ cause.”
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• He believes that the biggest threat on the UK’s security after Afghanistan and Pakistan is coming from Yemen. “There is a British coordination with Saudi Arabia and Yemen to support Yemeni reforms and avoid tension.”