American NGO worried over Algeria armament

[sbs]

American NGO worried over Algeria armament


The American Council for the Moroccan POWs (ACMP) has voiced its concern regarding Algeria's recent purchase of arms, calling on the United Nations and the international community to make sure the weapons will not reach the hands of terrorist and criminal gangs, MAP news agency reported.

In a letter addressed to the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, the ACMP said it is “concerned over Algeria's purchase of enormous quantities of weapons, which may contribute to prolonging the conflict over the Moroccan Sahara”.

The NGO called on the UN as well as the arm suppliers “to impose strict constraints on the destabilising and worrying Algerian efforts of armament and to make sure the weapons will not be used to keep under arrest and slavery the Moroccans held against their will in the Tindouf detention camps, southeast Algeria.”

The ACMP also urged the international community to give great attention to the issue, stressing the threat these arms constitute, if misused, on Algeria's neighbours.

Last week, Algeria signed a weapons deal with Russia with a total value of USD 7.5 billion. Other contracts worth USD 2 to 3 billion are planned.

The deal concerns various types of arms, including anti-missile systems, aviation, sea and land technology.

The deal was signed during the recent visit of Russian president Vladimir Putin to Algeria. On the same occasion, Russia wrote off Algeria's USD 4.7 debts.

Arms and energy were on top of the agenda during Putin's visit to Algiers, Russian official sources declared. According to some experts, the main objective of Putin's visit was to discuss bilateral cooperation in supplying natural gas to the European market.

Algeria is a leading supplier of European gas, with about 10% of the European market. It comes in the third position after Russia and Norway.

[La-Casbah_com]

the american council for moroccan pows? what has america go to do with moroccan prisoners of war, or are they moroccans in america who were prisoners of war?

what a load of nonsense!