Argentina and Algeria agree to cooperation

19 November 2008

[Media Line, 18 November] An agreement on cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy has been signed between Algeria and Argentina, the Al-Khabar newspaper reported. The president of Argentina, Cristina de Kirchner, signed several bilateral cooperation agreements during a visit to Algeria, part of a tour of North Africa. During her trip to Algeria, de Kirchner visited the research reactor in Draria, which was constructed by Argentinean companies. The nuclear cooperation agreement "aims at renewing and strengthening our bilateral relations in the realm of civil nuclear research," Algeria's energy minister Chakib Khalil told reporters after the signing ceremony. He said that Algeria was aiming to sign similar agreements with Russia, China and South Africa. The cooperation agreement with Argentina comes five months after France and Algeria signed a cooperation agreement on nuclear energy.