A new page in the French- Algerian relations
Algeria-France, Politics, 12/3/2001

The French President Jacque Chirac has started a Maghreb tour led him to Tunisia as a first led and then Algeria where he visited Bab al-Wadi quarters which was greatly damaged by the flood of November 10.

Thousands of Algerian crowded to receive the French President who was accompanied by the Algerian President Abdul Aziz Butaflika and Algerian officials.

Chirac seemed to have been greatly touched by the warm welcome. He hailed the masses welcoming him and confused his guards when he shook hands with people and got flowers bouquets from children in Bab al-Wadi.

In the press conference he held after his talks with President Butaflika, President Chirac said he was greatly impressed over the welcome he received. He said that France is ready and all desire to help Algeria in the catastrophe resulted from the floods and announced that France offers Gharrafah hospital in Bab al-Wadi medical equipment and also re-habilitation of the irrigation networking in the same area.

Actually, Chirac had made use in his two stations in Tunisia and later in Algeria to direct a strong message not only to the authorities in the two countries, but also the peoples of the two countries and their expatriates in France as he stressed once again to the need to make a distinction between Islam and terrorism.

He described any mixing between the two as " a mistake" and " danger." He also praised the role played by the Tunisian and Algerian communities in the economic and social life in France noting that France id the first country which refuses such a mixing and avoids it.

Previous Stories:
  Chirac to visit Algeria   (11/17/2001)
  Football match canceled between Algeria, France because of acts of riots   (10/8/2001)
  Algerian- French talks   (2/14/2001)

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