Algeria’s Bouteflika to hand over power to elected president, deputy PM says in Moscow

Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has agreed to hand over power to an elected president, the new deputy prime minister said on Tuesday. The opposition will be allowed to take part in the cabinet that will oversee elections, Ramtane Lamamra said in Moscow. Lamamra was speaking at a news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The Algerian government had responded to the legitimate demands of the Algerian people, Lamamra added. Lavrov said that Moscow supported the Algerian government’s initiative to hold talks with the opposition after weeks of protests. The top Russian diplomat also said that Moscow saw attempts to destabilize the situation in the North African country.