Algerian national council head: The government secures guarantees for pre elections

The head of the Algerian National Council, Beshir Bu Meaza, announced that the government secured all guarantees that the parties asked for to hold the presidential elections in April in an atmosphere of freedom, fairness and transparency.

In a private statement today to the Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram, Abu Meaza ruled out any possibility that the army would intervene in the elections, and he greatly criticized the western reports questioning the role of the Algerian army, saying that these only aim at harming the image of the army which hinders the division of Algeria.

He also said that the army's chief of staff confirmed that there is no specific nominee for the army and that any official in the army has the right to be nominated because he is an Algerian citizen, but the military has no right to impose a particular nominee.

Bu Meaza added that he deeply trusts the guarantees presented by current President Liamine Zeroual, especially since a national committee was formed to monitor the elections, comprised of parties' representatives in different provinces and states and chaired by an Algerian judge who sits on the International Court of Justice.