The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, met the Algerian President, Mr Liamine Zeroual, yesterday morning to express the concerns of Ireland and the EU over the country's political and human rights situation.
The one-hour meeting at the presidential palace in Algiers was also attended by Algeria's Foreign Minister, Mr Ahmed Attaf, and its Ambassador to Ireland. In a separate meeting with the foreign minister, Mr Andrews also discussed Irish beef exports to Algeria.
The meetings ended a two-day fact-finding visit to Algiers, during which the Minister also met Algerian parliamentarians and EU ambassadors based in the city.
He returned to Dublin later and is now expected to report on the visit to the EU presidency. He is also expected to raise the subject at the European Council meeting tomorrow and Saturday.
As well as outlining European concerns to Mr Zeroual, Mr Andrews heard the president's own account of recent developments in the country.
He stressed later that he had not come to preach to the Algerian government and said that, as well as relaying concerns about human rights, he wanted to hear its account of the difficulties it faced.
The visit reflected the "grave concern about the situation in Algeria widely felt in Europe and beyond", Mr Andrews said, adding that he hoped the meeting marked the beginnings of a dialogue which would be continued "to mutual benefit".
"Ireland shares the EU policy of solidarity with the people of Algeria, the emphasis on human rights and fundamental freedoms and the condemnation of terror and extreme violence," he said. He had been glad of the opportunity to meet Algerians face to face and hoped they now had a better appreciation of the concerns of the EU.
Mr Andrews, who is the third EU foreign minister to have visited Algeria this year, was accompanied at the meeting by Ireland's Ambassador, Mr Richard Ryan, and the political director at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Mr Richard Townsend.
In a separate meeting with Mr Attaf, Mr Andrews discussed Irish trade with Algeria, in particular beef exports.
Total exports to Algeria last year were worth £33 million, with 20,000 tonnes of beef accounting for £22 million.
Gunmen slit the throats of seven civilians and two separate bomb explosions killed two people and wounded 25 in Algeria, national newspapers said yesterday.
Seven attackers killed seven members of one family, including a baby and a woman, by slitting their throats on Tuesday in Ghaouazet village in Medea province, 70 km south of Algiers, Al Khabar newspaper said.
