Morocco, Algeria share interests, Bouteflika says
Algeria-Morocco, Politics, 7/19/1999

"Morocco and Algeria have shared interests, and there is a new context between the two brotherly countries," Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika said on Sunday.

The two states are bound by "several factors" and their peoples "share the same ethnic belonging, the same religion, the same civilization and other interests," Bouteflika told Radio Monte Carlo.

In his interview with Monte Carlo Radio, President Bouteflika termed the visa imposition and the closure of borders as "futile formalities." "Algerians enter Morocco without visas and do not mind the closed borders... and this is also true for Moroccans," Bouteflika said.

The Algerian president stated further that without accusing Morocco "there is also an intense commercial activity, especially the illegal trade, ie. the black market (...) in addition to what is completely prohibited such as drug trafficking."

"I do not accuse Morocco, in any way, but as Morocco is at the doorstep of Spain, goods we do not want are leaked into Algeria... without Morocco's knowledge," Bouteflika stressed.

Touching on the promotion of Moroccan-Algerian relations, Bouteflika stressed the need for Rabat and Algiers to reopen the dossier and reactivate the scores of conventions signed years ago.

Bouteflika, who blamed each of Morocco and Algeria for having privileged their own interests without taking into account the other side's interests, said he thinks that there does exist a new context between the two states.

Regarding the Sahara issue, the Algerian president renewed his country's backing for the holding of "a self-determination referendum in transparency, clarity and far from any maneuver."

The issue is handled by the United Nations, and both Morocco and the Sahrawis adhere to U.N. relevant decisions and adopted and signed the Houston accords, he said.

The U.N. plans to hold a self-determination referendum in the Sahara in July, 2000 to determine whether the Sahara -- a former Spanish colony, retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid Accords -- sets up on its own or remains part of Morocco.

"I cannot be more Moroccan than the Moroccans nor more Sahrawi than the Sahrawis," Bouteflika said.

The Algerian head of state announced that a high-ranking Algerian official, maybe his interior minister, will visit Morocco in response to the visit Moroccan Interior Minister Driss Basri paid to Algeria recently.

"The official will convey to H.M. King Hassan II our feelings and thoughts," he said.

He added that the ties existing between himself and King Hassan II might be a major factor of understanding.

Previous Stories:
  Algerian president: We have to end all problems with Morocco   (7/15/1999)
  Algeria determined to materialize cooperation ties with Morocco, Algerian diplomat   (7/14/1999)
  Algerian-Moroccan relations are well taken care of by two countries' heads of state   (7/13/1999)

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