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In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune says there is an opportunity to achieve “appeased relations” with France. He believes that French President Emmanuel Macron is “honest” and has a “clean record” with regard to the colonial past.
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Tebboune welcomes the recent return of Algerian resistance fighters' skulls and hopes for further gestures in this direction. He believes that France has issued a “quasi-apology” for crimes committed during the colonial period and hopes that it will go all the way towards total apologies.
“I feel that with President Macron we can achieve a lot, go a long way toward appeasement, settling issues pertaining to memorials and memory,” Tebboune said. “He is a very honest person, he wants to appease the situation – of course, upholding French interests, and all the while, make it possible for our relations to become natural once again, natural relations between two independent countries.
“And I think that President Macron is very sincere in what he is doing. He is honest and he is very proper from a historical point of view."
Tebboune also revealed that further releases and pardons of prisoners of the “Hirak”, the popular protest movement against Algerias ruling elite, were possible.
“We are moving into a period that will require all Algerians to make an effort,” he said. “I think we might not agree on a policy, but, we are moving toward a much calmer climate.”
The president hopes to hold a referendum on a new constitution in September or October, if Covid-19 case numbers are low – Algeria currently has over 15,000 cases and 900 deaths, according to Johns HoRead More – Source
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