Two European delegations to go to Algeria

January 9, 1998
Web posted at: 12:26 p.m. EST (1726 GMT)

ALGIERS, Algeria (CNN) -- Bowing to intense international pressure, the Algerian government has agreed to a European Union fact-finding mission, but stressed the body's inquiry into massacres should focus only on defeating "terrorism."

The European Parliament will also send a separate, non-investigative delegation to Algeria.

"If the real aim of the European initiative is to offer cooperation to combat terrorism, then this shows an awakening and a progression by the EU which we welcome," Foreigh Minister Ahmed Attaf said Thursday on state-run television.

Algerians have lived in the shadows of terrorism -- most notably in the form of night massacres -- for six years, since an uprising began. The rebellion was sparked by the government's cancellation of a general election dominated by Islamic fundamentalists. An estimated 65,000 people have since died.

There is no real pattern to the massacres, but each year they seem to peak during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Since Ramadan began on December 30, up to 1,000 civilians have reportedly been slaughtered in the western province of Relizane.

The government blames Islamic insurgents for the massacres, and has repeatedly stated it does not want its position questioned.

"Our position regarding an inquiry mission, whether or not from the U.N., is that we reject it categorically because it is a blatant interference in our internal affairs," Attaf said Thursday. "Algeria has not and will never accept such inquiries because things in Algeria are clear, there is a state confronting terrorism through its legitimate means, there is no doubt or confusion or mystery that requires investigation or inquiry."

The EU missions

Algeria's U.N. ambassador said any visiting EU mission should discuss how to break up Islamic networks that ship weapons to Algeria's Islamic militants.

Ambassador Abdallah Baali told reporters these networks exist in some European countries.

"What we need from these Europeans is to put an end to these networks," Baali said. "We accept any mission whose objective is to exchange views with Algerians in order to strengthen the fight against terrorism."

The European Parliament on Friday said it would dispatch a team of deputies to Algeria, with a mandate to meet with members of the Algerian parliament.

"The mandate of the delegation is straightforward," a spokesman said. "It will be seeking to facilitate contacts, apart from the politicians, with representatives of civil society. It's not being sent out as an international commission of inquiry."

Aside from the humanitarian interests, many EU member nations are concerned about the situation because they buy oil and gas from Algeria.

The European Parliament agreed last year to send a delegation to Algeria. The mission is expected to take place in February, and the members of the delegation will be announced next week.

There is no projected date for the separate fact-finding mission, which is expected to include representatives from Great Britain, Luxembourg, and Austria.

Cook

In London, British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said the EU agreed the fact-finding mission was "an important initial step which will help the EU get a clearer picture of the situation on the ground."

"It will also enable the EU to make clear to the Algerian government the concern felt in Europe about the security situation... and our desire to offer humanitarian assistance," Cook said in a statement.

Attaf said he got a letter from the EU offering humanitarian aid, but his government doesn't want it.

"We did not ask for humanitarian aid and we do not need humanitarian aid," he said.

Killings grabbed world's attention

It has taken years for the continued slaughter in a remote and dangerous land to grab the world's attention.

The international community took seemingly little interest in Algeria's affairs until U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan in August condemned large-scale massacres that were taking place in late summer.

At that time, Annan offered Algerian President Liamine Zeroual the assistance of the United Nations, but the Algerian government refused the offer.

Algeria has also refused a request from the United States for an international inquiry into the killings.

"The United Nations has no role to play in Algeria," Baali repeated on Thursday. "What is taking place in Algeria is something which we have to handle ourselves."

The intensity of the latest Ramadan massacres, and the press attention the killings have received, may have made it difficult for the Algerian government to continue rebuffing the international community.

The killings, meanwhile, continue.

Le Soir d'Algerie reported late Thursday that 14 more people died at a roadblock on a motorway in western Algeria, and on Tuesday seven more people had their throats cut in a town about 145 miles southwest of the capital, Algiers.

As recently as Tuesday, the paper said, at least eight members of two families were beheaded in a suburb of Algiers. Their bodies were found on Wednesday.

Earlier this week, a survivor of a massacre in Remka, were an estimated 117 people died, told La Tribune: "One pregnant woman had her fetus cut out and slaughtered."

On Thursday, Algerian newspapers showed pictures of frightened villagers fleeing Relizane to reportedly seek refuge in schools, mosques, commercial buildings and shelters.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Related stories:

• Report: More than 400 massacred in Algeria - January 2, 1998
• Algerian election comes off without violence - October 23, 1997
• Algeria debates reform amid fundamentalist violence - August 10, 1997

Related sites:

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• Algeria - CIA World Factbook
• ArabNet - Algeria
• Window on Algeria

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.

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