Madam President, this Parliament has a long history of activities and relations with Algeria which have always been based on clarity, respect and friendship as well as a sense of shared interest. In the past, this Parliament has on several occasions vigorously condemned the terrorist attacks and violence in Algeria; it has encouraged attempts to achieve peace and harmony and full democracy through dialogue between all the social and democratic forces; whenever it has considered it necessary, it has condemned violations of human rights in Algeria, of whatever kind, and has supported the increasing vitality of Algerian civil society and its democratic forces; it has urged the Algerian authorities to guarantee that the press remains free, as one of their most positive national assets; it has supported the attitude of the Algerian authorities in favour of economic transition, the renegotiation of debt, the stimulation of internal economic investment and external investment, and has expressed the need, on the one hand, for an open and transparent economy with solid and autonomous institutions, as a basis for the economic and social development of the country and, on the other, for a full democratic transition, essential elements of which would be peace and full respect for human rights. The Algerian crisis is partly the result of the events of 1991, of continued intermittent terrorism which has led to a civil confrontation which has probably caused a hundred or a hundred and fifty thousand deaths in Algeria. It would be a mistake, however, from our European perspective, to see the Algerian crisis solely as the result of the horrendous terrorism that has taken place in that country. In fact, there are fundamental democratic issues and also, above all, problems resulting from the economic and social situation. Europe needs Algeria for its creation of a Euro-Mediterranean partnership that turns our southern flank into an area of stability, peace and shared progress in which there is convergence between the economic and social situations of the northern and southern sides of the Mediterranean. Algeria also needs Europe. Three and a half million Algerians live in the countries of the European Union and, from all points of view, the link between Europe and Algeria must be reinforced by means of an approach involving, on the one hand, a social and economic development objective based on the partnership, but also cooperation in the difficult tasks of achieving peace in Algeria, the eradication of terrorism and all types of violence and the full establishment of civil liberties and human rights. I believe that the conclusion of the Association agreement between the European Union and Algeria deserves the full, and possibly unanimous, support of this Parliament. The Association agreement must be a basic instrument to guarantee cooperation in essential areas of economic and social development in Algeria, but also an instrument available to us which we must be able to use, without interference but firmly, to achieve the greatest possible influence on the development of this great country towards peace, harmony amongst its citizens, the eradication of terrorism and all types of violence, the affirmation of human rights and progress in the civil and democratic field.

Political group: PSE