Brussels, 08/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - At the end of last week, European Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Stefan Füle was in Algeria, where, on Sunday 6 June, he signed a memorandum of understanding on European development aid, worth €172 million to the country between 2011 and 2013.
According to the official Algerian press, the aid will be used mainly to fund six cooperation projects relating to sustainable development, culture, economic growth and employment. “Today's meeting is a 'practice run' in which we can exchange points of view on all the issues that will be decided at the meeting (the association council meeting convened by the two parties in Luxembourg) on 15 June. We will discuss all the issues,” Foreign Affairs Minister Mourad Medelci is quoted by the local press as saying. “Overall, there is much to be done. The economic chapters will be at the heart of our concerns, not only in terms of trade, but also from a more global point of view, involving investment and technology transfer, which makes our relations with the European Union strategic in nature,” the minister stated.
According to the same sources, Medelci noted “that there were 'problems' between Algeria and the EU” but that these were “in the nature of things”. In his reported comments, he repeated his country's refusal to become part of the neighbourhood policy. He did, however, make clear the two parties' “political will and desire to find balanced solutions”. “Our relationship is one of honesty and confidence,” he said, informing press that cooperation would be in various areas, such as the financial crisis and tackling terrorism. Furthermore,” we cannot close our eyes to immigration issues and the free movement of people,” he said.
The same sources report the comments of Commissioner Füle, who highlighted the desire to enhance cooperation “beyond energy”. Algeria provides 20% of EU gas. “It would be good for the Algerian economy to diversify. Other areas, such as agriculture and SMEs, must not be neglected. There has also to be trade facilitation,” Füle said. “It is not enough to sign a treaty: there has to be deep structural reform,” he added. (F.B./transl.rt)