The Algerian army chief rejects the preconditions for negotiations

The powerful Algerian army chief on Tuesday ruled out the acceptance of preconditions for launching negotiations to end the political crisis in the country, saying that he had "no longer" time to lose. "

Algerians have taken to the streets every Tuesday and Friday since February to demand political change, which led to the ousting of veteran president Abdelaziz Bouteflika on April 2.

But efforts to head for new presidential elections have become bogged down, with protesters continuing to demand the departure of influential figures from the regime and a reshaping of the North African country's political system.

"There is no more time to lose," said Army Chief Ahmed Gaid Salah, during a speech delivered at a ceremony broadcast on television, describing what he called "preconditions that constitute diktats".

A seven-member committee has been set up, tasked by interim President Abdelkader Bensalah, to discuss arrangements for the upcoming elections, following Bouteflika's resignation after two decades of power.

But the protest movement called for certain measures to be taken before any dialogue, including the release of those arrested in connection with the demonstrations.

Protesters also want less police to be deployed at weekly protests and have called for the lifting of blockades set up every Friday to prevent rallies at Algiers entrances.

Bensalah had said that he was willing to "study" the claims.

But Salah criticized Tuesday "poisoned ideas … including the call for the expansion of the number of detainees, wrongly declared as being held for their opinions" and stressed the independence of the judiciary.

The deployment of the police set up "for the security of the marches was a measure taken in the interest of the population", he added, stressing that the gatherings had to be properly organized "to avoid their infiltration" .

A presidential election already postponed, scheduled for July 4, was postponed after the only two potential candidates, both of them little known, were refused their candidacy.