Algeria, launching its latest energy exploration and production licensing round, invited on Sunday foreign and Algerian firms to apply for pre-qualification to bid for what it called high potential oil and gas blocks.
Algeria does not welcome a United Nations investigation into a bombing that killed 17 U.N. staff because the move was decided without consulting Algerian authorities, the prime minister said. The U.N. said on Monday that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had appointed an independent panel to probe the December 11 bombing in Algiers.
Algeria signed a second agreement with the United States Monday (November 13th) for the early payment of $620m, completing the repayment of $1.2 billion of total debt, Finance Minister Mourad Medelci said at a plenary session on the 2007 draft budget. He added that a similar agreement with Germany for early debt payment of $372m will be signed by the end of the week, completing the repayment of Algeria's $7.9 billion debt to the Paris Club.
Algeria - French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy drew both cheers and criticism on a visit to ex-colony Algeria on Tuesday, winning praise for an easing of visa rules but anger at his failure to apologise for colonial misdeeds.
Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (APC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) may sell its Algerian exploration and production business, which could fetch $7 billion to $9 billion, as it sheds assets to reduce debt after buying Kerr-McGee and Western Gas, according to sources familiar with the situation.
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