Bouteflika will stay in power until the end of his term of office

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika denied on Wednesday any "problem" between him and the army, following the disclosure of information saying that the military establishment refused the composition of the new government.

In a speech he read on the inauguration of the judicial year Bouteflika said: "Frankly saying, there is definitely no problem between the military institution and all the other institutions of the republic, without any exception."

He said, "Solving the problems of the country cannot be made by replacing one minister by another," because the situation in Algeria is "polluted." He continued that first a change should be made in the "mentality" and to amend the laws and strengthen the sovereignty of the law, adding that he will do so but "without precipitation, improvisation, slowness and shilly-shallying."

He added he will stay in his post until the end of the term in the year 2004, despite the "burden I run and the sacrifices I give."