17/12/2007
After arriving in Algiers for an official visit on Sunday (December 16th), Portugal's Prime Minister José Socrates said the EU and Portugal are prepared to help Algeria fight terrorism, Algerian press reported. "On behalf of the EU and Portugal, I would like to say that we are ready to co-operate and provide all that is necessary to fight this barbarity," Socrates said. Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Monday, Socrates said he came to Algeria in his capacity as EU commission president to express solidarity with the Algerian president, people and authorities, following the deadly December 11th attacks in Algiers. Socrates and Bouteflika also discussed several energy agreements and the preparation of a bilateral summit, scheduled for early 2008 in Portugal. El Khabar reported that a number of conventions and protocol agreements, including the energy sector are expected to be signed during Socrates' visit.