From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:FRANCE: RELATIONS WITH ALGERIA REMAIN AT A LOW EBB
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 17:53:38 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Africa, north
Title: FRANCE: RELATIONS WITH ALGERIA REMAIN AT A LOW EBB


paris, dec 11 (ips/pablo azocar) -- diplomatic relations between
france and algeria reached rock-bottom this week even though a
crisis was averted thursday when new algerian ambassador to
paris, sid ahmed ghozali, was finally accredited.

the former algerian prime minister presented his credentials
to french president francois mitterrand on thursday. he had
originally been scheduled to do so in september, but paris
repeatedly postponed his accreditation.

the french foreign ministry cited various reasons of protocol
and mitterrand's illness to justify its delays in accrediting
ghozali.

the foot-dragging by the french had so angered algiers that
ghozali had been instructed to return home by dec. 15 if the
situation remained unchanged, reliable sources said.

this was the latest in a series of diplomatic incidents linked
to differences of opinion between the governments of the two
countries, mainly over algiers' handling of islamic
fundamentalism.

according to an arab diplomat, algerian prime minister belaid
abdesslam sent a letter of protest to the french government, but
this has not been confirmed by paris.

a french foreign ministry official said friday that the
ministry viewed as ''excessive'' the ''irritation'' shown by
algiers over what he termed a simple bureaucratic problem. he did
not elaborate on the ''irritation.''

however, he admitted that ''when there are fundamental
problems, there is never a lack of formal motives which allow
these differences to come to the surface.''

another matter which has contributed to the tension between
the two governments is an official visit by french prime minister
roland dumas to algiers.

originally announced for early november, it has been
repeatedly postponed and a quai d'orsay (french foreign ministry)
spokesman said ''the visit cannot be made before next year.''

he claimed that it was just a question of ''finding 36 hours
in the minister's timetable in early january.''

but the postponements and delays stem from more fundamental
issues.

a quai d'orsay official said friday that ''a certain critical
climate with regard to the french government'' now reigns in
algiers. (more)
----


''the impression prevailing among some algerian authorities is
that france has taken a stand ''very close'' to the leaders of
the (banned 'islamic salvation front') fis, which is a big
mistake from our point of view, but it is not easy to convince
everyone,'' the diplomat said.

through its embassy in the north african capital, france
expressed its ''concern'' to the algerian authorities after they
imposed a state of emergency on dec. 2 ''for an indeterminate
period.''

paris' disguised protest reportedly added to the mistrust and
irritation which cloud relations between the two countries.

another reason cited for the postponement of dumas' visit is
that it would be difficult for him to go to algiers without
announcing new loans.

''and the problem with an announcement of that nature is that
it would imply backing a government which has the military in the
streets, decrees a state of emergency and imposes a curfew, which
is seen with suspicion in dumas' entourage,'' another foreign
ministry source said.

the algerian authorities have admittted to deploying 20,000
soldiers in the streets of the capital, while the number of
detentions has reportedly increased as a result of the curfew,
also imposed on dec. 2.

but the prevailing analysis within the quai d'orsay, according
to unofficial reports, is that it will be impossible for the
algerian authorities to keep the muslim fundamentalists away from
power and that the fis has increased its popular support since
being forced to go underground.

but an arab diplomat said that the present tensions between
the two capitals is influenced by a considerattion of an entirely
different order.

he said the algerian authorities had decided to wait until
france's legislative elections in march before attempting to do
anything about diplomatic relations with paris.

this thesis implies that algiers is convinced that the french
right will win the elections and, therefore, it makes little
sense to make big efforts to mend relations with the ruling
socialists.

the leader of the right-wing ''rally for the republic'' (rpr),
jacques chirac, and the president of that party's faction in
parliament, alain juppe, were invited last month to algiers.

both were received with the honours usually reserved for heads
of state, journalists reported. (end/ips/trd/so/pa-da/kb/92)