ALGIERS - Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc met Algerian Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem at Algerian Prime Ministry Palace on Wednesday.
Belkhadem told reporters that Turkey, as it happened in Ottoman period, should pursue an active and sound policy, adding that the region needs Turkey.
Noting that Algeria does not think Turkey needs EU, Belkhadem said that Turkey, alone, is a strong country, adding that the EU is not sincere regarding Turkey's membership.
Criticising policy of France regarding so-called Armenian genocide, Belkhadem said that Algeria, for long years, has been waiting for France to accept that it committed massacres and made mistakes in Algeria.
On the other hand, Arinc said, "it is a big contradiction for France to make statements about so-called Armenian genocide. I saw one more time in Algeria that France's statements about freedom, justice and equality are hollow."
He added that France is applying double standards.