French president admits divergences with Algeria on sahara issue

Visiting French President has admitted that his country, which supports Morocco's stand on the Sahara issue, has a different point of view from that of Algeria which backs the "Polisario," a separatist movement claiming independence of this former Spanish colony.

French-Algerian ties are significantly consolidated. but we have different points of view on the Sahara issue, said Jacques Chirac who was speaking at a press conference at the end of his three-day state visit to Morocco.

The French president said he had discussed the issue with Algerian president Abdul Aziz Butaflika to whom he reaffirmed France's position in favor of a "solution accepted by all parties."

"I wish that, gradually, in the respect of existing interests, wisdom will prevail," said the French president who considers that "any solution must be agreed upon by the parties and cannot be imposed" by the United Nations for instance.