ALGIERS – Algeria and Venezuela noted, Thursday in Algiers, a convergence of views on the various international issues of common interest, particularly with regard to the Palestinian and Sahrawi causes, as well as the situation in Libya, as part of the working and friendship visit of the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Mr. Nicolas Maduro to Algeria.
During this visit, a solemn welcome was reserved by the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune to his Venezuelan counterpart.The two Presidents had one-to-one talks, later extended to members of the delegations of the two countries.
The talks took place in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the National Community Abroad, Ramtane Lamamra, the Director of Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic, Abdelaziz Khellaf, the Minister of Energy and Mines, Mohamed Arkab, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Abdelbaki Benziane, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohamed Abdelhafid Henni, Minister of Communication, Mohamed Bouslimani, Minister of Transport, Abdallah Moundji, the Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts, Yacine Hamadi, and the Minister of the Environment, Samia Moualfi.
The ministers present at these talks also had bilateral meetings with their Venezuelan counterparts on ways and means of further strengthening cooperation in the sectors concerned.
During a joint press conference, President Tebboune affirmed that Algeria “shares with Venezuela dense historical relations, marked by the defense of just causes in the world and the rights of peoples to freedom and development, far from the residues inherited from the era of tyranny, exploitation and injustice”.
Reiterating the common determination to further consolidate relations between the two countries, President Tebboune announced, in this wake, the opening of an airline between Algiers and Caracas.
He added, in the same context, that the talks with President Maduro had made it possible to address “the main current international issues, at the head of which is the Palestinian cause”, thus noting the existence of “a total convergence of views” between the two countries to “help the Palestinian people establish their state with El Quds as their capital”.
Concerning the Saharawi question, President Tebboune noted that the two countries agreed on the imperative of “supporting the Saharawi people for their right to self-determination”.
With regard to the Libyan crisis, the President of the Republic affirmed that the accent had been placed on the need to help the Libyan people hold democratic elections to be crowned by “the election of new leaders “for the management of the affairs of the Libyan state.
For his part, the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela welcomed President Tebboune’s decision to open an air line between Algiers and Caracas, which will, he said, “further strengthen ties between the two peoples and connect North Africa to South America”.
Referring to bilateral talks with President Tebboune, Maduro said the two countries are linked by “a rich history” and share “the same vision for a world where peace reigns”, adding that it was agreed to promote bilateral relations through a “new start” between Algeria and Venezuela.
He highlighted, in this context, the “determination” of the two countries to hold the Joint Grand Commission and prepare common ground in order to promote bilateral cooperation with “broader prospects”, also expressing his willingness”to further strengthen” bilateral cooperation in the fields of energy, oil, gas, technology, higher education and agriculture”.
In this regard, the Venezuelan President maintained that his talks with President Tebboune made it possible to review the “most important” developments on the international scene, expressing Venezuela’s “full support” for the Palestinian people, emphasizing, in addition , the imperative to “denounce the crimes committed by the Zionist entity against the Palestinians”.
Regarding the question of Western Sahara, Mr. Maduro affirmed his support for the struggle of the Saharawi people, urging the international community to “support the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination”.
Referring to the Libyan crisis, the Venezuelan President called for “ensuring all the necessary guarantees for the organization of fair elections allowing the reconstruction of a sovereign and democratic Libyan state”.
