Bouteflika denies dispute with the army regarding forming the government

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika denied yesterday any problem between him and the army regarding the army's refusal to the list names of the members of the new government Bouteflika intends to form.

Bouteflika stated after his meeting with the foreign minister of Belgium, who is currently visiting Algeria, that, "There is absolutely no problem between the army which is doing its works in the frame of the constitution and the president of the republic."

He added, "The formation of the government on the plan of the constitution is the strict responsibility of the head of state. Neither the army nor the security services neither anybody else has to interfere in it.

"I insist to say that I want to be a head of state and not three-quarters of a head of state," he said.