Zeroual: State of emergency is necessary for security

Algerian President Liamine Zeroual confirmed that the continuing state of emergency in effect in Algeria since violence broke out at the beginning of 1992 is still essential for the country's security.

He said that despite the necessity of the emergency law, there is a law for removing the state of emergency, which will be submitted to the People's Assembly (parliament), where the deputies will decide on this law.

The Algerian president criticized the turmoil that took place earlier this week after the government approved the Arabic language law, saying that this law aims at developing the Arabic language and not marginalizing other languages.

Zeroual also said he would include Islamic Salvation Front leaders in talks if these leaders would clearly reject violence in all its forms.

Zeroual held talks with leaders from the Islamic Salvation Front -- which was poised to win Algerian elections until the elections were canceled leading to the outbreak of violence -- in 1994 and 95, but those talks failed.