Algeria’s upcoming presidential elections are an opportunity for the country to prove its stability and democratic nature after a decade of violent conflict, according to a U.S. State Department official.
On a state visit to the North African country this weekend, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Lorne Craner said he is concerned about the transparency of the upcoming elections, according to news reports. Craner’s visit mirrored that of Secretary of State Colin Powell to the North African country in December. Read an earlier report [1].
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Opponents of President ‘Abd Al-‘Aziz Bouteflika called for an interim government to act as election monitors to replace the current government earlier this month, in order to ensure the transparency of the process. Craner said in a news conference on Sunday that he had heard testimonials from the group.
Craner also called for a strengthening of U.S.-Algeria relations in trade and the fight against terror, among others, according to news reports, but said that the U.S. is concerned about liberty of press in the country.
Algeria’s secular government and Islamic groups have been embroiled in a de-facto civil war, which has claimed thousands of lives, since 1991.