Algerian President sends message to Rawlings

Accra (Greater Accra) 8th June ?99

Two envoys from Algerian President, Abdul Aziz Bouteflika, arrived in Accra today to deliver a special message to President Rawlings.

The envoys are Mr Belaid Abdelssalam, former Prime Minister of Algeria and Ambassador Abdelihmid Semichi, Director-General of the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The message is believed to centre on the forthcoming OAU summit, which will take place in Algiers from July 12 to 14 this year.

At the airport, the Algerian Ambassador in Ghana, Mr Hassane Rabehi, said the summit, the last in the century, is expected to take stock of OAU's achievements and setbacks since its inception.

It would also look at the relevance of the organisation in these times, as well as search for lasting solutions to the protracted conflicts on the continent.

Mr Rabehi said an ambassadorial meeting from July six to eight, to be followed by an African ministerial conference from eight to 10, would precede the summit.

He said the envoys would deliver similar special messages to heads of state of Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Liberia and Guinea.