Algeria, Russia inch closer to nuclear energy deal

Russian Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko finished her two day visit to Algeria late Wednesday after meeting with the country's leaders, inching the two nations closer to a nuclear power agreement. "My visit to Algeria was a great success. I had detailed and intensified discussions with senior Algerian officials, including President Abdelaziz Bouteflika," Matviyenko told reporters. According to the speaker, the meeting focused on ways to strengthen trade and economic cooperation, as well as military- technical and humanitarian relations. Earlier in the week, Matviyenko said her talks with Algerian officials led to "an almost completely fixed intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the nuclear power," adding that Russian companies are interested "in constructing energy facilities and mining minerals and developing hydrocarbon fields." Matviyenko said that discussions also focused on "common approaches of the two countries toward the key issues on regional and international levels," adding that these discussions confirmed the convergence of views between Algeria and Russia. "We have agreed to coordinate our positions in international organizations, including the United Nations," she added. Meanwhile, other international issues were raised during the Russian official's visit, including the crisis hitting Ukraine and the war in Syria. Matviyenko said Russia and Algeria agree on the situation in Ukraine, specifying that Algeria had always been against any foreign interference into the internal affairs of any state. On Syria, Matviyenko said that the upcoming presidential election is "a paramount step for restoring peace" in the strife- torn nation. Matviyenko called for a political solution to the Syrian conflict based on an inclusive dialogue, rather than foreign military intervention.