Algerian war crimes trouble French President Hollande\'s visit

Bouteflika, president of Algeria with François Hollande Eleven Algerian political parties renewed their call for French President Francois Hollande to pressure the government into apologising for war crimes committed during Algeria’s turbulent transition from colonialism to independence . Director General of the Ennahda Movement Fateh Rabei said acknowledging the past issues would open the door to a new era of relations with France. The Hollande administration would have “no legitimacy” in this week’s scheduled negotiations until this happened, he said. Head of the Party of Algerian Renewal Jamal Bin Abdul Salam revealed that eleven political parties and civil authorities assembled to draft a unified position against France’s refusal to recognise war crimes. This would be followed by measures including sending a message to the President Hollande through the French embassy in Algeria, Salam added.
Algerian politicians have called for an apology from the French government after around one million people died in clashes between 1954-1962. Some believe French President Francois Hollande is visiting the country to blackmail the Algerian government in to a military intervention in Mali, while bolstering French economic interests in the region. However, Dr Fawzy Osdik, a human rights activist and professor in humanitarian law, criticised Algeria itself for a human rights situation he said was \"yet to meet acceptable international standards\".
Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci stated that Hollande’s visit to Algeria is an opportunity to improve economic and political relations. Medelci stressed that Algeria has not- on an official level – demanded that France acknowledge its colonial crimes against Algerian people, \"Still, any French initiative in this concern will be much welcomed,\" Medelci explained. In an interview with France 24 the foreign minister said that establishing economic ties between the two countries would open the door for “more balanced\" relations. He stressed that Algeria and France have great opportunities to create joint ventures through economic cooperation. \"Though economic ties with France are excellent, numerous investment fields are still untouched,\" Medelci said. He added that the summit of leaders of the two countries will work to \"improve the living conditions of citizens of both countries.\"