Sahara issue may prevent EU-OAU troika summit
Algeria-OAU, Politics, 1/3/2000

The Organization of African Unity's president in office, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, issued a statement today expressing "surprise and astonishment" at a statement attributed to Portuguese Foreign Minster Antonio Gutteres, whose country has assumed the rotating presidency of the European Union, saying that a summit meeting between the OAU and EU troikas will not take place during Portugal's six-month presidency of the EU due to the disputes between Algeria and Morocco regarding the issue of the Western Sahara.

"This project of summit ratified by the OAU conferences of heads of state and government of Ouagadougou and Algiers, has a mechanism in charge of preparing its organization and holding. This mechanism, composed of the OAU and EU troikas, already met in Helsinki on September 27, 1999 and in Algiers on November 6 and 7, 1999 to examine all the aspects relating to the organization of this summit. The talks between the two sides proceeded in a constructive atmosphere and were carried on through regular and supported contacts between the two OAU and EU Presidents in Office to meet the favorable conditions for the success of this event," the OAU statement, reported by the Algerian News Agency, said.

"Africa has always expressed a great availability with regards to this summit of which it favorably welcomed the initiative, convinced that this represented an additional opportunity likely to strengthen dialogue, cooperation and partnership with Europe," it continued.

"Algeria, which is pleased with the progress achieved, remains convinced that the talks which will be carried on would enable the two sides to make the preparatory process progress in understanding and the mutual respect of the interests of the two sides," it added.

The OAU statement quoted Guterres as expressing regret over "the impossibility of holding this summit during the Portuguese presidency because of the disagreement between Algeria and Morocco on Western Sahara."

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