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GV Presidency in Algiers, Algeria
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MV Ceremonial guards inspected by Mr Philip Habib, U.S. Under-Secretary of State and other officials (2 shots)
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MV INTERIOR Habib greeted by President Houari Boumedienne and the two men sit down and talk (2 shots)
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Initials OS



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Background: INTRODUCTION The United States Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Mr Philip Habib, met the Algerian President Houari Boumedienne for talks on Monday (11 April). Mr Habib was in Algiers as part of a tour of north African countries.

SYNOPSIS: It was the first meeting on an official level between the two countries since President Jimmy Carter's administration took office. Relations between the two had been strained in recent years and diplomatic contacts were only resumed in 1974. They had been severed at the time of the Arab-Israeli war in June 1967.

After his meeting with President Boumedienne, Mr Habib said he had had frank talks and there had been wide understanding on Middle East and African questions. Bilateral and multilateral questions and the broad economic policy of the United States were also discussed. Mr Habib said he "listened attentively" to the Algerian position on the Western Sahara. Algeria opposes Spain's transfer of the territory to Morocco and Mauritania. From Algeria, Mr Habib went to Tunisia for talks.