Brussels, 15/04/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 13 April Algeria's foreign minister, Ramtane Lamamra, said in Barcelona that the EU-Algeria association agreement “has not produced all its effects for the benefit of the Algerian economy”. In a statement to Algeria's news agency APS, Lamamra said that the association agreement “has not been very advantageous for the economy” of Algeria. He rules out signing an action plan before the review of the neighbourhood policy. Algeria is the only country on the southern shore of the Mediterranean not to sign up to this step. “We must wait for Europe to amend its approach before the issue of an action plan can be finalised.”
Lamamra also spoke about the issue of mobility (movement of people), of which Brussels is making an element of cooperation with Algeria. He thus showed reservation as regards Brussels' proposal, which - in his opinion - should be “reconsidered”. He sees in this the duty of “satisfying elementary human rights, the right to a visa, to be treated in full dignity and to be able to move while respecting the laws in force (…) Our service and our performance” against terrorism “mean that we should be eligible for correct treatment as regards the movement of our nationals” in Europe, he said. (Fathi B'Chir)