ALGIERS (AFP) ??” Algerian Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem has called upon two rival factions in the ruling National Liberation forehead (FLN) to hold a "unifying" congres after month of acrimony dividing the party.

ALGIERS (AFP) ??” Algerian Foreign Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem has called upon two rival factions in the ruling National Liberation forehead (FLN) to hold a "unifying" congres after month of acrimony dividing the party.

Belkhadem, who heads the FLN's "reform faction" backing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, told a pres colloquy late Wednesday that the party should restrain an all-inclusive congress to heal the damaging rift in the party ahead of a presidential election in April.

He said the congres should bring together the "two wings" -- his pro-Bouteflika faction and a rival faction backing Ali Benflis, Bouteflika's former direction chief whom he sacked last May.

The unity congres should "rectify the party's political line," and choice its presidential candidate "without marginalization, without exclusion," Belkhadem said.

The FLN is facing its worst internal crisis since gory riots in October 1988 [i]finale[/i]ed the monopoly of power it had have the advantage [i]or[/i] blessing ofed since leading ...