Brussels, 29/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - Hans-Gert Pöttering, the president of the European Parliament, arrived in Algiers on Sunday 18 October for a four day visit. He indicated that this visit aimed to express the “solidarity” of the European institution in the struggle against terrorism. In an interview to the APS press agency, Pöttering affirmed that the EU had observed that there was a “strong will to modernise and democratise” in Algeria. He asserted that it was “very important” that the EU takes care of and develops its relations with this country, with which it is also counting on “discussing energy policy, the Euro-Mediterranean partnership in its different dimensions, co-management of immigration but also social and cultural issues that link and sometimes concern our different people”. Pöttering averred that Algeria's development, “is based above all on the importance of its own resources”. It has transpired that, “political dialogue with Algeria is well advanced and the EU can help the modernisation of the country, particularly by increasing technical cooperation”. He called for “the real opportunities and prospects” provided to the two partners in the EU-Algeria association agreement “to be put into practice”. Such “cooperation efforts with the EU should be completed through increased cooperation between Maghreb countries”. The European Parliament is, “encouraging Algeria to develop regional cooperation, particularly with Morocco”. The EP president also explained, “cooperation is not simply a technical question: the source of cooperation springs from the common values that each of the parties should constantly promote together” (human rights, human dignity, fundamental freedoms).
Asked by APS about the French proposal for a Mediterranean Union, Pöttering appeared “sceptical” because this project does not involve all EU member states and its institutions and duplicates the job of the existing contractual cooperation frameworks. Its choice will be one of “real European initiatives if certain member states are effectively prepared to go in this direction”. This does not mean that the ideas of president Sarkozy should not be studied and made concrete, “We need to channel the support brought by each party, which will enable us to progress together”. But this will “only take place by intimately getting everyone involved in it and not by excluding the Community institution or member states”. Mr Pöttering stated, however, that he was convinced that the French presidency of the EU in the second half of 2008, “will take these considerations into account”. Pöttering also considered that in this process, the European Parliament will have to “play a key role and be involved in decision-making”. (F.B.)