Brussels, 06/06/2002 (Agence Europe) - It was finally a troika at the level of senior officials that the Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Piqué headed in Algeria where he met President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Beljadem. This brief routine visit allowed recent legislative elections to be discussed. The turn out for the elections was relatively low, mainly because of the boycott in Kabylie. Mr Piqué was, on behalf of the EU, to express the hope that the national reconciliation policy headed by Mr Bouteflika would continue and be strengthened. Discussions also covered the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East and the Summit of the Union of the Arab Maghreb to be held in Algiers on 21 and 22 June. Speaking of recent elections at a press conference in Algiers on Wednesday, the Council president welcomed the "democratic progress" in Algeria and, according to the EFE Agency, pointed out that the troïka noted progress on human rights. This opinion is not shared by human rights organisations (see EUROPE of 6 June, p.5 and 4 June, p.6).