Algeria, Iraq discuss bilateral ties

Algerian Foreign Affairs Minister Ramadan La'ma'mra arrived on an official visit Saturday to Baghdad to discuss boosting bilateral ties. His Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari welcomed him at the airport, a statement by Iraqi Foreign Ministry said. "La'ma'mra will meet during his visit with senior officials in the Iraqi government to discuss means to strengthen bilateral relations and a number of other issues of common concern," it added. This is the first official visit by an Algerian official to Iraq since the ouster of former president Saddam Hussein in 2003.