DATE=1/20/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-225543
TITLE=ALGERIA / E-U (L)
BYLINE=DOUGLAS ROBERTS
DATELINE=ALGIERS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
// RE-RUNNING TO UPDATE INTRO; TEXT REMAINS THE SAME //
INTRO: A TERRORIST BOMB EXPLODED ON A COMMUTER BUS IN THE HEART
OF ALGIERS TUESDAY, KILLING AT LEAST ONE PERSON AND WOUNDING MORE
THAN 20. HOURS LATER, ANOTHER BOMB EXPLODED IN THE COASTAL TOWN
OF ZERALDA, WEST OF ALGIERS, KILLING THREE AND WOUNDING 30 THE
BLASTS OCCURRED AS A EUROPEAN DELEGATION WAS ENDING A DAY OF
TALKS IN THE ALGERIAN CAPITAL TO DETERMINE WHAT IF ANYTHING THE
E-U CAN DO TO HELP END THE VIOLENCE THAT HAS WRACKED THE NORTH
AFRICAN COUNTRY FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS. V-O-A'S DOUGLAS ROBERTS
REPORTS FROM ALGIERS.
TEXT: TERRORIST ATTACKS IN DOWNTOWN ALGIERS ARE NOW CONSIDERED
RARE. THERE ARE PLENTY OF CARS AND PEDESTRIANS IN THE HEART OF
THE CITY EVEN AFTER DARK. AND THERE HAVE BEEN OPEN-AIR CONCERTS
IN ONE CENTRAL SQUARE EACH EVENING SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE
MUSLIM HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN.
BUT RAMADAN HAS ALSO BROUGHT A NEW SERIES OF MASSACRES IN THE
ALGERIAN COUNTRYSIDE THAT HAVE REPORTEDLY LEFT MORE THAN
ONE-THOUSAND CIVILIANS DEAD IN THE PAST THREE WEEKS ALONE.
JUST HOURS BEFORE TUESDAY'S EXPLOSION IN THE CAPITAL, LOCAL
NEWSPAPERS REPORTED THAT SECURITY FORCES HAVE DEFUSED SEVERAL
OTHER BOMBS PLANTED IN THE CITY, APPARENTLY INTENDED TO EMBARRASS
THE GOVERNMENT DURING THE VISIT OF THE E-U DELEGATION.
ALGERIAN OFFICIALS BLAME THE VIOLENCE ON EXTREMISTS OF THE ARMED
ISLAMIC GROUP. AND THEY ALLEGE THAT THE TERRORISTS ARE RECEIVING
FINANCIAL AND OTHER AID FROM CLANDESTINE NETWORKS OF SUPPORTERS
BASED IN SEVERAL WEST EUROPEAN CITIES.
GOVERNMENT SPOKESMEN HERE SAY THAT WAS THE MAIN TALKING POINT
DURING TUESDAY'S MEETINGS WITH THE E-U DELEGATION, LED BY BRITISH
FOREIGN OFFICE MINISTER DEREK FATCHETT AND INCLUDING SENIOR
DIPLOMATS FROM AUSTRIA AND LUXEMBOURG.
AT A NEWS CONFERENCE FOLLOWING THE DAY-LONG DISCUSSIONS, MR.
FATCHETT SAID THE DELEGATION ASKED ALGERIAN OFFICIALS FOR
SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS ABOUT HOW THE E-U COULD HELP IN THE FIGHT
AGAINST TERRORISM. AND HE INDICATED THAT HE WILL CONVEY THE
ALGERIAN RESPONSE TO A MEETING OF EUROPEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS
SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK.
MR. FATCHETT SAID THE TALKS ALSO TOUCHED ON EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND
SOCIAL AID FOR ALGERIA, AS WELL AS THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN
THE COUNTRY.
HE URGED ALGERIAN LEADERS TO BE MORE OPEN ABOUT THE SITUATION
HERE, TO COUNTER ALLEGATIONS OF GOVERNMENT COMPLICITY IN AT LEAST
SOME OF THE VIOLENCE.
THE BRITISH DIPLOMAT EXPRESSED REGRET ABOUT ALGERIA'S REJECTION
OF A VISIT BY A SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR FROM THE U-N HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMISSION.
BUT MR. FATCHETT MADE IT CLEAR THE E-U WANTS TO DEEPEN ITS OWN
POLITICAL DIALOGUE WITH ALGIERS. HE ANNOUNCED THAT ALGERIAN
FOREIGN MINISTER AHMED AL-ATTAF WILL BE VISITING LONDON SOON.
AND HE SAID ALGERIAN AND EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARIANS PLAN A SERIES
OF EXCHANGE VISITS IN FEBRUARY.
MR. FATCHETT SAID THE MASSACRES OF THE PAST FEW WEEKS HAVE
AROUSED STRONG FEELINGS AMONG THE PEOPLES OF EUROPE AND THE REST
OF THE WORLD. AND HE SAID THE VISIT BY THE E-U DELEGATION WAS
INTENDED AS A GESTURE OF GOOD WILL AND SOLIDARITY WITH THE
ALGERIAN PEOPLE. (SIGNED)
NEB/DBR/JWH
20-Jan-98 4:56 PM EST (2156 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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