UN chief to send mission to Algeria

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has set up a panel of eminent figures to visit Algeria, led by former Portuguese president Mario Soares, it was officially announced in New York and Algiers.

The mission will gather information on the situation in Algeria and present a report which Annan intends to publish, UN spokesman Juan-Carlos Brandt said.

He added that Algeria has assured Annan it will secure free and complete access to all sources of information necessary for the panel to carry out its mission, Map reported. The mission comes at the invitaton of the Algerian government.

The six-member delegation will travel to Algeria as soon as arrangements have been made, Brandi said.

In addition to the former Portuguese president, the delegation will comprise I.K. Gujral, former prime minister of India; Abdelkarim Kabariti, former prime minister of Jordan; Donald Mchenry, former US envoy to the UN; Simone Veil, former French foreign secretary of state; and Amos Wako, attorney general of Kenya.