France tells Algeria location of landmines

Sun Oct 21, 2007 7:21am EDT

ALGIERS Oct 21 (Reuters) - France, keen to boost relations with former colony Algeria, has handed the north African country details of where its forces laid millions of landmines half a century ago, the French embassy said.

Anti-personnel mines were planted on the country's eastern and western borders during Algeria's war of independence to prevent Algerian fighters from attacking the French colonial army from bases in Morocco and Tunisia.

Plans of mines laid between 1956 and 1959 were handed over by French armed forces chief General Jean-Louis Georgelin, who is currently visiting Algeria, a French embassy statement said.

"This decision, which had been expected by Algeria, reflects the wish of the French authorities to move forward in lifting the inherited obstacles of the past and their wish to build a relationship of trust with Algeria," it said.

The 1954-1962 war of independence cost the lives of 1.5 million Algerians, the Algerian government says. Many French also died.

According to Algiers, which has long demanded that France hand over the minefield plans, some three million anti-personnel mines were planted by France on its land.

"Nicolas Sarkozy wants to remove hurdles that hamper Algerian-French relations," influential daily El Watan said. The same daily published a cartoon showing an Algerian victim of a landmine saying "they could have done this 45 years ago."

Algerian newspapers regularly report deaths and injuries, particularly of shepherds and children, who inadvertently set off independence war-era landmines.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to pay an official visit to Algeria in December.

France is trying to improve diplomatic ties and economic influence in Africa's second largest country at a time when other European nations and the United States are developing their energy and trade ties with the oil and gas exporter.

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has repeatedly called on France to apologise for crimes committed during the colonial era to help improve bilateral ties with his nation of 33 million.

French authorities have responded by urging "mutual respect" and saying it was up to historians to write history.





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