Bouteflika addresses Arab Parliamentary Union

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika yesterday addressed the Arab Parliamentary Union meeting in Algeria, discussing a number of local, regional and international issues.

Algerian News Agency (APS) reported that Bouteflika called for closer cooperation between the Arab and African states, action to speed up the opening of Arab societies, and deepening of Arab security and stability.

Algeria had emerged from a distressing ordeal" which "deeply affected sons of the country, destroyed its institutions and threatened its national unity," APS quoted him as saying. He added that Algeria is recovering and reconciling after years of violence, saying that violence "has no borders, that it is transnational and totally has nothing to do with religion."

Bouteflika told the Arab parliamentarians participating in the APU meeting that they can help build inter-Arab cooperation to face the challenges presented to the Arab world, APS said. He said common Arab action would be enhanced by an Arab summit dealing with this issue.