ALGIERS, Dec. 6 -- French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday paid a one-day visit to Algeria to boost bilateral relations and reinforce security cooperation, while the memory of the colonial past of France in the North African nation was again under the spotlight.
It is Macron's first visit to the North African country since he took office seven months ago. His visit to Algeria had been scheduled in September but was postponed.
During his short stay in the capital Algiers, Macron was accompanied by his Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Minister of Public Action and Accounts Gerard Darmanin, as well as some parliamentary members and artists.
Macron is expected to meet with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and other Algerian officials to discuss issues including assessing bilateral political dialogue and economic cooperation.
Security and anti-terror cooperation, in addition to the regional situation, will also be on the agenda.
So far, Algiers and Paris have failed to normalize their long-standing bilateral relations, as the two countries are still unable to overcome the "painful" past, or the 132-year French colonization in the North Africa nation.
In Algeria, it is understood that the relations with France could reach normalization only when Paris recognizes the crimes it committed during the colonial era, and offers apology to the victims of the "brutal" colonial rule.
However, Paris is still considering colonialism a bright era which brought "civilization" to other areas. It admits that "some atrocities" were committed, but declined to apologize for them.
Tayeb Zitouni, Algerian minister of Mujahedeen (War Veterans), said last week that it is legitimate for Algeria to demand apologies from France for its colonial crimes.
"We are not against the French, but rather against French colonialism and we will not give up claiming our rights," Zitouni told the local national radio.
"Relations cannot be good without the resolution of the issue of memory," he noted.
The French young president's visit to the North African nation could mark a new era in the bilateral ties between Paris and Algiers, if he recognizes and apologizes for the erstwhile colonial acts.
Macron, 39, visited Algiers on Feb. 13 as part of his election campaign to presidency, when he told reporters that French colonization was a "crime against humanity."
Although his statement was welcomed in Algeria, it provoked indignation in the political arena in France.
However, the new French president recently made contradictory statements, as he told French Trace TV channel that there will be neither "recognition" nor "repentance" for French colonialism in the African continent.
挪威杀人狂被认定神志正常 获刑21年
委内瑞拉油价世界最低0.8元/升
大学生出书讲述印度文化之旅
未来人类需素食以避免食品短缺
孤岛生存20年 现实版“鲁滨逊”现身澳大利亚
英女子戴隐形眼镜游泳致失明
肯尼亚力争成为非洲第一个奥运主办国
三星败诉 苹果成移动市场霸主
阿姆斯特朗:他的脚印不仅留在了月球
美赌客连赢41把 遭赌场起诉
神奇双面猫走红网络:阴阳脸异色双眼!
纽约孕妇地铁寻座记
最具权势女性榜 默克尔连续第二年登顶
翻版乐队让甲壳虫在中国大放光彩
生活教给我宝贵的5堂课
英国现“空中百慕大”大量鸽子神秘失踪
中低收入家庭儿童更易摄取垃圾食品
男女爆笑潜台词:他们真的来自不同星球!
新加坡的国庆造人计划
韩国婚外新生儿人数达历史最高峰
霍金亮相伦敦残奥会开幕 科学之旅演绎启蒙运动
苹果开发车载Sari系统 年内可望投入使用
中国七夕爱情漂流瓶 漂洋过海到达英国
英哈里王子派对裸照曝光 王室承认真实
兴趣成就事业:可以发展出事业的10个爱好
普京被曝生活奢靡 有58架飞机20座别墅
日本因何丧失电子业霸主地位?
阿姆斯特朗被剥夺全部冠军头衔
奥地利男孩和土拨鼠成亲密好友 相交4年友谊深厚
欧洲最具价值地标榜 埃菲尔铁塔居首
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |