Algeria: We do not need mediation
Algeria, Politics, 10/15/1997

The Algerian ambassador to the UN in Geneva said yesterday that his country needed no outside mediation despite worsening violence in his government's bloody confrontation with terrorists.

"When you speak of mediation you speak of civil war. In Algeria, there is no civil war at all," ambassador Mohamed Salah Dembri, a former Algerian foreign affairs minister told a Briefing in Geneva.

He added: "Algeria is an independent sovereign country with a parliamentary democracy and institution and is capable solving its own problems. We don't accept any interference in our affairs.

"We did not at any time have contact with the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) or other terrorists and there will not be any contract," Dembri said. "The terrorists enjoyed logistical support in Western countries including Switzerland, Germany, Italy and France," he added, but did not elaborate.

The Islamic Salvation Army (AIS), the armed wing of the FIS and one of two main factions seeking to turn Algeria into a fundamentalist state, has been observing a unilateral cease-fire since October 1.

The main group accused by authority of killing civilians is the Armed Islamic Group (GIA), Al Wafd daily said today October 15.

Previous Stories:
  53 killed and injured in mosque bomb blast in Algiers   (10/13/1997)
  Algerian crisis deadlocked - first time use of rockets   (10/7/1997)
  Over 50 Algerians killed before cease-fire   (10/1/1997)

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