New Algerian president-elect says settlement of Sahara issue must conform to U.N plan

The New Algerian President-elect, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, said the settlement of the Sahara issue "must be conform to the plan and decisions of the U.N., the Organization of African Unity and the Huston accords, meant to establish peace in the region," reported the Algerian press agency APS.

Bouteflika made the statement at a news conference he held in Algiers on Friday.

To a question on Moroccan-Algerian relations, the president-elect pleaded for "neighborliness relations," APS said adding that he underlined the importance of the role which Algeria should play within the Maghreban community.

Moroccan-Algerian relations are strained due to Algeria's direct involvement in the Sahara issue and after Algerian-born French nationals perpetrated in 1994 a terrorist attack against a luxury hotel in Marrakesh (Southern Morocco), wherein two Spanish tourists were killed.

Morocco imposed afterwards an entry visa for Algerians wishing to visit the Kingdom while Algeria retaliated by closing land borders with Morocco.

The strained Moroccan-Algerian relations have also paralyzed the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA) that was set up in Marrakesh in 1989 by Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.

On the international scene, Bouteflika pledged to foster friendship and brotherhood ties with the Arab states including those of the Gulf with which Algeria, he said, will develop relations in all fields.

Abdelaziz Bouteflika won the early presidential election held on Thursday by 73.8 percent of votes, according to official sources.

Bouteflika, 64, a former foreign minister, was the only presidential candidate after all six other candidates withdrew to protest fraud.

He will replace Liamine Zeroual who decided to step down 18 months before the end of his five-year term.