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Sarkozy meets Bouteflika in Algiers

Jul 10, 2007, 12:39 GMT

Algiers - French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in the Algerian capital Algiers on Tuesday for talks with his Algerian counterpart, Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Sarkozy's first visit to Algeria as French head of state is also his first official trip outside of Europe since he was elected president in May of this year. Their talks were expected to touch on points such as energy, an easing of visa conditions for Algerians, and Sarkozy's plans for a Mediterranean Union associating all countries, African and European, that touch on the Mediterranean Sea. In an interview published Tuesday in two Algerian dailies, El Watan and El Khabar, Sarkozy said he wanted to see closer collaboration between French energy companies, such as GDF, Suez and Total, and Algeria's oil and gas giant Sonatrach. The French president also said he was 'prepared to go farther' in the matter of military cooperation with Algiers. On Wednesday, Sarkozy will travel to Tunisia for talks with President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. © 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

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Sarkozy meets Bouteflika in Algiers

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