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02/14/2006:

"Rumsfeld vows to strengthen north African military ties"

Donald Rumsfeld, the US defence secretary, promised to strengthen military ties with north Africa yesterday in a visit that highlighted the growing importance of the region in Washington's battle against radical Islamists.

Mr Rumsfeld told authorities in Algiers that he wanted to increase military and counter-terrorism cooperation with them. Pentagon officials admitted that arms sales were a possibility.

"We look forward to strengthening our military-to-military relationship and our cooperation in counter-terrorism," Mr Rumsfeld said during a joint appearance with Algeria's president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika. In what officials said was the first ever visit by a US defence secretary to Algeria, Mr Rumsfeld avoided saying whether future cooperation was dependent on political reforms.
guardian.co.uk