Bouteflika: Arab Maghreb problems will rapidly disappear

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria has underlined that the close ties binding the Moroccan and Algerian peoples are "deeper" and "translate better the peoples' behavior than the momentary clouds."

In a message of congratulations to King Hassan II on the occasion of the king's 70th birthday, President Bouteflika said, "The temporary clouds will, with God's help, rapidly clear out from the sky of our Arab Maghreb."

In his congratulations message to the king, President Bouteflika recalled the meeting he had recently in Algiers with Moroccan Minister of the Interior Driss Basri, saying it provided him with the opportunity to "expound his current concerns" and to survey all that prompts optimism as to the future of the region and of bilateral relations.

Basri, who visited Algeria last June 22, had then said, "Moves are currently conducted on both sides to bring back (Moroccan-Algerian) relations to their normal course," and that King Hassan II, President Bouteflika as well as the two countries' governments "are keen on establishing natural relations and promoting neighborliness and cooperation."

Algerian Interior Minister Abdelmalek Sellal, on his part, had pointed out that his country gave instructions to put relations with Morocco back on track.