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Italy's Meloni to Sign Several Agreements in Algeria

Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra meets with US Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele Sison. (Algerian Foreign Ministry)
Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra meets with US Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele Sison. (Algerian Foreign Ministry)
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Italy's Meloni to Sign Several Agreements in Algeria

Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra meets with US Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele Sison. (Algerian Foreign Ministry)
Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra meets with US Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele Sison. (Algerian Foreign Ministry)

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in Algeria on Sunday for a two-day visit to boost cooperation between the two countries.

Several agreements are set to be signed between them before she concludes her trip.

Algerian ambassador to Rome Abdelkrim Touahria said in an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero: "We want Italy to become a European hub for Algerian gas. A junction for other EU countries."

Algeria's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva announced on its Twitter account that Meloni's talks in Algeria will focus on energy, the mechanical industry, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, and education.

Political sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the visit addressed important issues like the growing need for Algerian gas to compensate for the share of Russian gas.

Algeria replaced Russia as Italy's number one energy supplier, transporting natural gas by pipeline across the Mediterranean.

Last July, Algeria and Italy concluded a deal to supply an additional nine billion cubic meters of gas by 2023-2024, which Eni said was worth $4 billion.

The sources noted that Meloni addressed irregular migration from the southern Mediterranean to the coasts of Italy and sought Algeria's help to stop this phenomenon. Dozens of Algerians cross the sea every year to the Northern Mediterranean.

Separately, Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra received US Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele Sison.

They addressed bilateral relations and prospects for strengthening strategic dialogue and economic cooperation between Algeria and the United States. They discussed regional and international developments, and multilateral diplomacy.

No further details were provided about Sison’s visit.

The US State Department said on Friday Sison was set to travel to Algeria and Morocco on January 21-26 to discuss shared multilateral priorities across the UN system, including the importance of human rights as Morocco and Algeria join the UN Human Rights Council.

In her meetings, she would underscore US support for MINURSO and United Nations Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General Staffan de Mistura's efforts in leading the UN political process for the Western Sahara.

Algiers and Washington have several agreements covering various areas, including US investments in the oil fields in southern Algeria and security cooperation in combating terrorism in the Maghreb and the African coast.

Algeria had condemned a proposal by 27 members of the US Congress that called for "immediate" action to sanction the Algerian government for its involvement in the purchase of Russian arms.

The demand came in response to Algerian-Russian arrangements to sign an agreement to purchase Russian military equipment worth $11 billion.

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Lavrov: Moscow Maintains Communication with Damascus, Will Not Withdraw from the Region

Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)
Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)
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Lavrov: Moscow Maintains Communication with Damascus, Will Not Withdraw from the Region

Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)
Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to the Middle East, stating that Moscow “has not and will not withdraw from the region.” He emphasized ongoing communication with Syria’s new leadership and expressed readiness to support the political process in the country.

Speaking at a press conference in Moscow on Tuesday, Lavrov attributed Syria’s deteriorating situation to the previous regime, blaming its unwillingness to implement reforms and share power with the opposition.

“The refusal of the former Syrian regime to make any changes or share power with the opposition was one of the primary reasons for its collapse,” he said.

Lavrov noted that over the past decade, since President Bashar al-Assad requested Russian intervention in the Syrian war and the launch of the Astana peace process, Damascus had delayed advancing the political path.

“Despite support from Arab nations, Syrian authorities showed reluctance to move forward politically and sought to maintain the status quo,” he explained.

He highlighted Russia’s repeated calls for the Syrian government to engage with the Constitutional Committee, established during the 2018 Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi, and to actively work on drafting a new constitution.

Lavrov also pointed to economic challenges exacerbated by sanctions, which have stifled Syria’s economy, and US control over oil-rich eastern regions. Resources were exploited to fuel separatist ambitions in northeastern Syria, he remarked.

Moreover, the FM revealed details of Moscow’s earlier discussions with Kurdish groups, reiterating his country’s position that Kurdish rights should be guaranteed within the constitutional frameworks of Syria, Iraq, Iran and Türkiye.

He argued that the previous Syrian regime’s reluctance to engage in political dialogue resulted in stalled reforms proposed by the United Nations, Moscow and Cairo platforms, and Istanbul-based opposition groups. This inaction, he said, created a vacuum that ultimately led to the collapse.

Furthermore, he dismissed claims that his country’s withdrawal from Syria would signal its departure from the Middle East.

“Russia has not and will not leave the region,” he declared. Without directly addressing the status of Russian military bases in Syria, Lavrov emphasized: “Our embassy never left Damascus, and we maintain ongoing communication with the authorities.”

He also stressed Russia’s willingness to facilitate inclusive dialogue involving all national, political and sectarian factions, as well as relevant international stakeholders. Lavrov underscored that recent discussions with Türkiye, Gulf nations, and other parties demonstrated widespread agreement that Russia and Iran must be involved in the Syrian peace process if sustainable results are to be achieved.

For his part, Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Presidential Envoy to the Middle East and Africa, reaffirmed Russia’s focus on developments in Syria, describing relations with Damascus as a “priority of Russian foreign policy.”

Reports on Tuesday suggested that Bogdanov might soon lead a Russian delegation to Damascus. However, a Russian diplomatic source informed Asharq Al-Awsat that no date for the visit has been confirmed. The visit, which was reportedly postponed, would mark the first by a senior Russian official to Damascus since the fall of Assad’s regime in December.

Meanwhile, media reports indicated that Moscow is facing logistical challenges in withdrawing military equipment from Syria, due to restrictions imposed by Syrian authorities on the movement of Russian ships in territorial waters.

According to the English-language edition of RT, the Russian ship Sparta 2, designated to transport military equipment and weapons, was denied entry to the Port of Tartus, where Russia maintains its only overseas naval base.