Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals Tayeb Belaiz of Algeria
The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has yielded gratifying results since its founding and it holds out broad prospects for development, Algeria's Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals Tayeb Belaiz said in a recent interview with Xinhua.
Noting the fast-growing Chinese economy, Belaiz said China's important role in international affairs and its economic vigor will not only contribute to the African continent's economic revival, but have also laid the foundation for closer friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides in various fields.
Praising the traditional friendly cooperation between China and Algeria, Belaiz said bilateral trade and economic cooperation has gained strong momentum in recent years, with many Chinese companies winning bids for Algeria's key housing and expressway projects, beating off Western rivals.
On bilateral judicial cooperation, Belaiz said the two sides will soon hold consultations on the issues of extradition, judicial mutual assistance, and ways to strengthen exchanges between the judicial departments of the two countries.
Tayeb Belaiz has raised many issues concerning his sector, while responding to critics on Justice reforms launched in 1999.
were accepted by his nation to release those prisoners.
Belaiz is on two-day official visit to Tunisia to strengthen judicial co-operation between the two countries.
In a meeting with the Iranian Ambassador to Algiers Hossein Abdi Abyaneh on Wednesday, the Algerian Minister of Justice Tayeb Belaiz said that in view of cultural, historical and religious commonalties, close cooperation between the two countries would be in the interest of both nations.
Belaiz said those who came home and were not wanted by the authorities would be free to return to their families, El Watan, Le Quotidien d'Oran and El Khabar newspapers reported him as saying.
The newspapers said Belaiz was non-committal on a suggestion by Washington that the United States and Algeria might soon sign an accord on the possible return of the Algerians from Guantanamo.
Asked to comment, Belaiz said without elaborating that for the moment this was only at the stage of a "simple request" submitted by Washington.
Last year Belaiz said any return of the Guantanamo Algerians could only take place "without any condition or constraint.
ALGIERS (Reuters) - Algerians held at the Guantanamo Bay prison are welcome to return home but if they face local charges they will be put on trial in Algeria, Justice Minister Tayeb Belaiz said in remarks published on Monday.
Belaiz denied reports saying an accord would be concluded within days.