Algeria denies talks on Qadhafi's fate

On Friday 7th October, Foreign Ministry spokesman Amar Belani denied that the visit of the Qatari delegation to Algiers on Wednesday 28th September, led by Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani – and the accompanying message from Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani to President Abdelaziz Bouteflika – had anything to do with the fate of Colonel Mu'ammar Qadhafi. Immediately after the visit, there were reports, stemming from a foreign news agency, that Algeria had been holding secret talks with Qatar over the Libyan Leader's future.

Belani said: "I categorically deny the baseless news reported by a foreign news agency alleging the existence of secret talks between Algeria and Qatar over the fate of Colonel Mu'ammar Qadhafi." He went on to confirm emphatically that “Qadhafi is not on the Algerian territories".

Concerning reports of an imminent visit of a senior official from Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) to Algiers, Belani said: "Well, at this moment, there's no such a visit on the agenda."

While it would be surprising for such discussions to have been held, especially in the light of the recent tensions between the two countries over Libya, Algerian government statements, especially 'denials' no longer have much credibility.

For more news and expert analysis about Algeria, please see Algeria Focus and Algeria Politics & Security.

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