Algeria knows how to avoid mistakes committed in Libya, Syria: FM

ALGIERS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Algerian newly appointed Foreign minister and Deputy Prime minister Ramtane Lamamra on Wednesday said that Algeria will not commit the mistakes that drove Syria and Libya into a cycle of violence, as the North African nation is experiencing a wave of protests.

In an interview with the state-run radio Channel III, Lamamra indicated that Algeria is able to avoid Syrian or Libyan scenario amid continuing protests.

"We have not to be afraid. Instead, we have to act with responsibility ... our people and our history tell us that we faced crises in the past and we knew how to overcome them," Lamamra said.

He further noted that "Algerians refuse to receive dictations from outside including from partners," adding that "Algeria is immune from any attempt to interfere in its internal affairs."

Lamamra said that "there will be no dissolution of the current parliament or any of the existing institutions in a bid to avoid any vacuum in power."

He added that the extension of Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's term in office "aims at guaranteeing smooth transition of power."

He said that Bouteflika "presented a road map," and the doors are still open for debating and editing the proposals mentioned in this road map.

On Monday, Bouteflika announced in a message to the nation that the presidential election slated for April 18 will be postponed and dropped his decision to seek a fifth presidential term.

He also decided to conduct a cabinet reshuffle, arrange an independent national conference to prepare for and adopt reforms to form a new political system, and draft a new constitution for referendum.

Bouteflika noted that the date of the forthcoming presidential election will be decided during the inclusive conference.

As for the duration of the transitional period, Lamamra said that "everything depends on the efforts of all parties. The more we work, the faster we will proceed."

"For example, the national conference could take place within three or four months, and then the referendum on the constitution and the presidential polls could be organized immediately thereafter, which means that the transitional period could be concluded before the end of 2019," he added.