ALGIERS, June 11 (Xinhua) -- French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian is due to pay a two-day visit to Algeria on Monday, Algerian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
This visit is the first of a French official since the election of President Emmanuel Macron. "It is part of regular dialogue between Algeria and France linked by strong and diversified relations," said the source.
Le Drian is due to hold talks with his Algerian counterpart, Abdelkader Messahel, as they will assess bilateral relationships and discuss regional and international issues of common interest, including counter-terrorism cooperation, and the situation in Libya and Mali," notes the statement.
The two diplomats will also discuss the forthcoming bilateral meetings, including the visit of French President Macron to Algeria in the next few weeks.
On Thursday, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika held phone conversation with Macron, as they agreed to boost their counter-terrorism cooperation, and continue efforts to restore peace and stability in Libya and Mali, said a statement of the President Office.
The source noted that Macron will "pay a state visit to Algeria in the next few weeks," without providing a specific date.
Macron had already visited Algeria on Feb. 13, part of his election campaign, as he met with President Bouteflika.
Algeria and France share complicated relations and are unable to reach full normalization due to historical factors, as France colonized Algeria for 130 years (from 1830 to 1962).
In fact, Algeria is still waiting for France to openly recognize the crimes that had been committed by the colonial system, ahead of normalizing ties.
President Macron seems to head on that path, as he said in a statement during the visit he paid to Algeria, as part of his election campaign, that once elected he would work to strengthen and further conciliate the issue of "the Memoire" (referring to the fallout of 130 years long French colonial era in Algeria), which has been initiated in recent years.
This statement has been understood as a will by Macron to the outright recognition of French colonial crimes and therefore open a new era for bilateral relations.
