Bouteflika: Holding 1st COMESA regional Conference in Egypt, positive step

Diplomatic sources stressed the importance of the message Algerian President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika, the current Chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), sent to President Hosni Mubarak on the opening of the first COMESA economic conference.

In the message, Bouteflika described the holding of the COMESA conference in Cairo as a key and positive step especially its timing, falling in the wake of the African extraordinary summit of Libya, the sources said.

Bouteflika expressed staunch support for Egypt and wished this key economic grouping all the success, saying that Egypt and Algeria championed the defense of African interests, they added.

"The success of the COMESA conference is guaranteed because it is held in Egypt under the auspices of President Hosni Mubarak," he said in the message.