DATE=1/19/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-225511
TITLE=ALGERIA E-U (L)
BYLINE=DOUGLAS ROBERTS
DATELINE=ALGIERS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A THREE MEMBER DELEGATION FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION ARRIVED
IN ALGERIA'S CAPITOL ALGIERS LATE MONDAY FOR TALKS AIMED AT
DETERMINING IF THERE IS ANYTHING THE E-U CAN DO TO HELP END THE
CONTINUING VIOLENCE THAT HAS REPORTEDLY LEFT MORE THAN A THOUSAND
ALGERIANS DEAD OVER THE PAST THREE WEEKS ALONE. V-O-A'S
CORRESPONDENT DOUG ROBERTS IN ALGIERS REPORTS THE BRITISH LED
DELEGATION WILL BE MEETING WITH ALGERIAN OFFICIALS, LEGISLATORS
AND LEADING JOURNALISTS ON TUESDAY.
TEXT: THE E-U DELEGATION ARRIVED MONDAY NIGHT AND WAS
IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDED BY A HOARD OF REPORTERS AND CAMERAMEN IN
THE V.I.P LOUNGE AT ALGIERS AIRPORT. SECURITY GUARDS STRUGGLED
TO CLEAR A PATH FOR THE VISITING DIPLOMATS SO THE DELEGATION
LEADER, BRITIAN'S JUNIOR FOREIGN OFFICE MINISTER DEREK FATCHIETT,
COULD DELIVERY A BRIEF ARRIVAL STATEMENT. HE SAID THE DELEGATION
HAD COME IN THE SPIRIT OF PARTNERSHIP WITH ALGERIA TO EXPRESS
DEEP CONCERN OVER THE VIOLENCE HERE THAT HAS ESCALATED SHARPLY
SINCE THE START OF THE MUSLIM HOLY MONTH OF RUMMADON JUST UNDER
THREE WEEKS AGO.
MR. FATCHETT SAID THE MISSIONS OBJECTIVE IS TO OPEN A POLITICAL
DIALOGUE IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE E-U CAN PLAY A
CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN EFFORTS TO ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING OF THE
ALGERIAN PEOPLE. THE DELEGATION WILL BE SPENDING ONLY ABOUT 24
HOURS IN ALGIERS MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER AHMAD AL-ATTAF,
OPPOSITION MEMBERS OF THE ALGERIAN PARLIAMENT AND LEADING
JOURNALIST. THE DELEGATION IS NOT EXPECTED TO VISIT THE SITES OF
ANY OF THE LATEST KILLINGS.
BUT LAST WEEK BRITIAN'S AMBASSADOR HERE DID GO TO THE VILLAGE OF
SIDI HAMMED, SOUTH OF ALGIERS TO INTERVIEW SURVIVORS OF A
MASSACRE EARLIER THIS MONTH. THAT ATTACK LEFT MORE THAN ONE
HUNDRED PEOPLE DEAD, ACCORDING TO GOVERNMENT FIGURES AND MORE
THAN FOUR HUNDRED ACCORDING TO ALGIER'S NEWSPAPER REPORTS.
THE ALGERIAN GOVERNMENT BLAMES ALL THE KILLINGS ON EXTREMIST OF
THE ARMED ISLAMIC GROUP AND ALGERIAN OFFICIALS HAVE VEHEMENTLY
REJECTED ALL PROPOSALS FOR AN INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION INTO
THE BLOODSHED.
WHEN THE E-U MISSION WAS FIRST PROPOSED ALGIERS SAID THE TALKS
SHOULD FOCUS SOLELY ON WAYS TO COMBAT TERRORISM DEMANDING THAT
EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS CRACK DOWN ON THE EXILED LEADERS AND
SUPPORTERS OF THE EXTREMIST GROUPS LIVING IN VARIOUS WEST
EUROPEAN CAPITALS.
E-U SPOKESMEN HAVE SAID THE VISITING DELEGATION INTENDS TO
DISCUSS A WHOLE RANGE OF ISSUES WITH ALGERIAN OFFICIALS BUT IN
ADVANCE OF THE VISIT, SEVERAL EUROPEAN LEADERS SOUGHT TO REASSURE
ALGIERS BY SAYING THEY HAVE SEEN NO EVIDENCE TO BACK CLAIMS OF
GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN THE VIOLENCE HERE. (SIGNED)
NEB/DR/ENE-T/PT
19-Jan-98 8:00 PM EST (0100 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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