Brussels, 15/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - The 5th EU-Algeria Association Council on Tuesday 15 June in Luxembourg was concluded with the joint affirmation that the exchange had proved “extremely positive”, according to the acting president of the Council, Miguel Ángel Moratinos. According to his Algerian colleague, Mourad Medelci, the conference had been more than satisfactory. The latter mentioned many of the positive points without hiding the fact that there was still a lot to be done by both sides, including the Algerians. Nonetheless, he urged the EU to adapt cooperation to the characteristics of his country.
Medelci also underlined the quality of the session's preparatory work, which appeared to be aimed at dissipating last year's prevailing fogginess. There was even talk about renegotiating the association agreement. The Algerian minister was keen to provide full reassurances to the Europeans and welcomed the long-standing co-operation but underlined that they both needed to tackle the shortcomings, so that this cooperation fully benefited the economy of his country.
Moratinos welcomed the balance sheet in cooperation and pointed out that “we have looked at it and examined how it can be consolidated”. The latter also said that they had “observed a high level of common interest”. According to the Spanish foreign minister, by examining the details, “the figures speak for themselves and we're not just talking about the trade in hydrocarbons”. He called on them to look to the future and improve, diversify and introduce a better balance in trade. He said that this involved “joint decisions” for perfecting trade and financial mechanisms, and for cooperation to be in tune with their goals. In his address to his counterpart, Moratinos also sought to address a public perceived as sceptical and explained: “We want your citizens to flourish as much as possible”.
Medelci said that their goal was to expand cooperation and innovate every year in order to be able to progress to new stages. The latter recalled the decisions taken at each of the previous Association Council sessions, in an effort to underline the idea that there is an ongoing process and progressive deepening. He therefore ruled out the gloomy observations sometimes made with regard to his country. The Algerian minister affirmed that “in 2008 we decided on a roadmap”, flagging up how to support economic and administrative reforms in the country. “Today, we are making an assessment and have seen how this action plan can be expanded”. According to Medelci, a result already appears possible and there is “gradual harmonisation in legal frameworks” and in the energy arena, “where we have worked hard”. He called for greater efforts to be made to achieve the ongoing projects (MEDGAZ). Algeria is determined to ensure supplies to the European gas market yet “not only as a supplier but also as a partner for market implementation”. The Algerian minister also indicated that his country had already set up a distribution company.
With regard to investment, he noted that volume had “apparently” increased but not the analysis. He said that investments needed to be improved in both volume and in diversity, and said that he hoped that there would be a boost given to them and not exclusively in the hydrocarbons arena. On the subject of financial cooperation Medelci was delighted with last week's signing of a protocol for an agreement for aid for the 2011-2013 period but said that to him, this amount appeared low compared to Algeria's “scale” and illustrated what had been agreed to for neighbouring countries. “The dismantling of tariffs envisaged by Algeria (under the association agreement) cost the country $ 2.5 billion”. Forecasts say that by 2017, this will have cost $8 billion. During the final press conference, the Algerian minister also raised the question of the insufficient distribution of visas to citizens from his country and reiterated the previous request to ensure the freedom of movement. (F.B./transl.fl)