Algerian Radio
The Minister Delegate to the French Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans, Ms. Alice Rufo, highlighted on Saturday in Algiers that the talks she had with the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, were "constructive."
"The talks I had with the President of the Republic were constructive and followed the visit I made yesterday to Setif, at the request of President Macron, to commemorate the tragic events that occurred on May 8, 1945, alongside Algeria," she stated following the audience granted to her by the President of the Republic.
"I wanted to tell you here that I was very touched by the welcome I received in Setif, a warm welcome that I myself and the entire delegation felt with emotion. And we obviously know what the tragedy (of May 8, 1945) represents for the Algerian people," she emphasized.
"Regarding the state-to-state relationship between our two countries, President Macron tasked me with expressing his determination to find, together, the ways and means to re-engage a respectful, equal, peaceful, and confident relationship between our two countries," she underlined.
She indicated that she had discussed bilateral relations with the President of the Republic "in the context of international tensions, both in the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz, but also in the Sahel, alongside the global energy crisis and all the stakes in the Mediterranean region," affirming the need for a "constructed and sustained" dialogue.
"Our goal is to achieve results quickly. We have therefore discussed concrete avenues so that the coming months will be beneficial to the interests and relations between Algeria and France," she added.
This involves, she said, security and defense cooperation, which "I discussed at length this morning with Army General Saïd Chanegriha (Minister Delegate to the Minister of National Defense, Chief of Staff of the People's National Army)." She noted that this cooperation is "very important in an African and international context marked by destabilization."
"We also discussed cooperation in the field of migration," she noted, affirming that "France welcomes the resumption of this cooperation following the visit of the Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nuñez, to Algeria."
"We also discussed ways to intensify this cooperation, particularly in the judicial field and the fight against drug trafficking," which constitute a "very important aspect for our two countries," she mentioned.
Specifying that she is accompanied on this visit by the French Ambassador to Algeria, Ms. Rufo emphasized the importance of "pursuing the agenda we have agreed upon and defined together, and which the President of the Republic wishes to carry out in the coming months to make it a useful year."
"President Macron intends to look at our history with lucidity, courage, and truth," the French official remarked.
"We also discussed the joint commission on history and memory that was established, and President Tebboune agreed to resume the work of this commission without delay," she added.
