US Ambassador extolls cooperation with Algeria

The US Ambassador to Algiers hailed his country's cooperation with Algeria, mainly in the security and anti-terror field as “ideal”, but said that military ties need to be further enhanced.   

• David Pearce was quoted by Radio Algiers as saying that security cooperation between the two countries is excellent, adding military cooperation was still weak but will see some expansion in the coming years
• Pearce said Washington and Algiers will work towards upgrading  technical military cooperation, notably bysending Algerian officers to the United States
• He said that Algeria is America’s second Arab trade partner, while Washington is Algeria’s top trade partner with a combined $22 billion dollars in exchanges in 2009
• David Pearce said that Algeria offers many investment opportunities for American companies, especially following the recent seminar of the US-Algeria Business Council held in Algiers last November

The senior US diplomat  that the two countries are negotiating an “open sky” deal to operate direct flights between Algiers and New York, in addition to a customs agreement and another one on legal assistance.