EU Aid Commissioner calls on Algerian authorities boosting cooperation to release the Austrian hostages
El Khabar, 8 october 2008
The EU Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Mr. Louis Michel has indicated that he follows the issue of the 2 Austrian hostages abducted by Al-Qaeda in North Africa, since last February. He further said he will request Algerian authorities to step up cooperation in view of releasing the Austrian prisoners, without determining the nature of this cooperation. In this regard, the same speaker has called on the Algerian authorities to strengthen cooperation, with the aim of freeing the Austrian hostages Andrea Kloiber, and Wolfgang Ebner. In a statement to the French press agency, AFP, he alluded that Algeria is able of changing the facts of the issue if they will provide more cooperation.“Both hostages are in good health, I have information proving what I am saying,” said the EU Commissioner. Following a meeting with the Malian President Mr. Amadou Toumani Toure, the same speaker has announced that this latter is working to release the hostages. Furthermore, the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has unveiled that the Austrian Minister of Home Affairs met with Algerian officials, but it did not unveiled their positions, noting that such a visit has been kept secret by the Algerian authorities.
08-10-2008 By A.K/Translation Section
