UN General Assembly
1976

Since he assumed the post of Foreign Minister of Algeria, this is the first time that Mr. Bouteflika has been unable personally to take part in the general debate of the General Assembly. Of course, there were such compelling reasons for this, that Mr. Bouteflika had to break with the tradition that he had always valued extremely highly. Algeria, as representatives are aware, is now involved in an extremely active stage of the political reorganization and establishment of its State institutions. Just a few months ago a new national charter was adopted by the Algerian people; a draft Constitution is now being prepared; and Mr. Bouteflika has highly important responsibilities in the work and discussions made necessary by those preparations. Those are the reasons why Mr. Bouteflika has asked me to be his spokesman here and to express to the President and representatives his regrets for not having been able, as he would have liked, to address the Assembly himself. Consequently, he has asked me to read for him {he text of the statement he had prepared. I shall do my best to carry out that delicate task.