Algérie Presse Service (APS) - Feb. 6, 2013
The president of the Republic, Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, hosted today in Algiers Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi, the joint United Nations-Arab League envoy for Syria.

Speaking after his meeting with the president, Mr. Brahimi said the situation in Syria "is bad and getting worse" but added that his will carry on with his mission "despite the difficulties" he has encountered.

He said that he has briefed President Bouteflika "on the situation and the latest developments in Syria" and noted that the president "who knows Syria perfectly wished for an imminent resolution of the crisis in Syria and for the Syrian people to be able to solve their problems in the best interest of the nation and in order to preserve the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity."