US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Sunday Washington
intended to deepen its military and counter-terrorism ties with
Algeria, but avoided saying whether this was dependent on Algerian
political reforms.
"We look forward to strengthening our military-to-military
relationship and our co-operation in counter-terrorism," Rumsfeld
said during a joint appearance with Algerian President Abdelaziz
Bouteflika at the presidential palace in Algiers.
His 5-and-half-hours visit to Algeria was part of a three-day,
three-nation tour designed to show US support for moderate North
Africa countries amid worries about Islamic extremism. He arrived
from Tunisia and was due next in Morocco.
Asked whether the United States would make military co-operation
with Algeria contingent on political progress in the country,
Rumsfeld declined to answer directly.
"The United States and Algeria have a multi-faceted
relationship. It involves political and economic as well as
military-to-military co-operation. And we very much value the
co-operation we are receiving in counter-terrorism because it's
important to both of our countries."
Rumsfeld met Bouteflika for 95 minutes after meeting the prime
minister and defence minister.
The United States and Algeria, the second biggest country in
Africa, began military exchanges last year as Washington sought
backing for its campaign against global terrorism.
The United States regards the three countries Rumsfeld is
visiting as moderate forces in the region and important allies.
Algeria and neighboring Morocco have much history and cultural
heritage in common but have had tense relations, particularly over
Western Sahara.
Morocco, which annexed Western Sahara in 1975 when former
colonial power Spain pulled out, fought a guerrilla war with the
Polisario Front which is based in southwestern Algeria and is
seeking the desert territory's independence.
A senior US defence official travelling with Rumsfeld said the
United States was trying to encourage regional co-operation between
Algeria and Morocco, as well as Tunisia, but the Western Sahara
dispute was a stumbling block.
The official said the United States was considering the
possibility of military equipment sales to Algeria, but gave no
details beyond saying these might involve equipment useful for
counter-terrorism.
(China Daily February 13, 2006)
