US Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman visited Algeria October 20-22. Mr Feltman met with President of the Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika., Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia, and Foreign Affairs Minister, Mourad Medelci. Both sides emphasized the significant advances in Algerian-American relations and undertook to pursue cooperation.

Mr Feltman stressed, on that occasion, Algeria’s " extremely important role " " as leader in Africa and in the Arab world ".

"Algeria has very strong and very constructive voice in the international organizations, including the United Nations family," Mr Feltman said in the wake of his talks with President Bouteflika.

"For me, it is extremely important to pay visit to President Bouteflika, listen to his view on very important questions, notably the US new policy of rapprochement, the US policy aiming at establishment peace in the Middle East and the Iranian file," he added.

Mr Feltman also emphasized  that, Algeria and the United States have "long friendship" and "very important bilateral relations""It is in this context that President Barack Obama and Secretary Hillary Clinton asked me to come in Algeria to meet Algerian officials to see how we can reinforce bilateral relations and work together to address challenges in the region and globally".

Mr Feltman added that the United States is working with Algeria on common interest questions like counterterrorism and military cooperation. Economically he recalled  that Algeria is the US largest partner in the region and  affirmed that United States is striving to "enlarge and reinforce English language teaching in the region".