German President Johannes Rau emphasized his country's interest in strengthening bilateral cooperation with Algeria in all fields, describing the African Arab state as Germany's "important partner," reported the official KUNA news agency on Moday.
Rau’s remarks came afer a meeting with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika who arrived in Berlin on Monday for bilateral talks with top German officials.
Bouteflika's visit is the first ever in the history of the Algerian-German relations, and the first since Algeria's independence in 1961.
Rau told Bouteflika "your visit to Germany is indescribable and was a thing that has not occurred for a long time."
The German President added that his country is willing to cooperate with Algeria.
"It will be dumb if Germany neglects the most important partner in the southern area of the Mediterranean Sea,” he said, adding that both countries need each other."
KUNA said that Bouteflika is due to meet later Tuesday with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer.
Bouteflika will also pay an official visit to Russia for talks with President Vladimir Putin.
His visit to Moscow aims at strengthening bilateral economic ties as well as discussing several political issues, especially the Middle East peace process, said KUNA - Albawaba.com
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