International pressure on the Algerian government is mounting, with calls for it to do more to protect its citizens and for an outside inquiry into the massacres. Several ideas are being discussed: Germany's suggestion of a diplomatic mission to Algeria; a human rights investigation by the United Nations; and humanitarian aid to victims of the atrocities. But our diplomatic correspondent, Barnaby Mason, says any action would have to be with the agreement of the Algerian authorities:

The difficulty of intervening was demonstrated by Algeria's angry reaction to the French comment that all governments had a duty to ensure their citizens could live in peace and security. An Algerian spokesman said France had no right to be reminding the Algerian authorities of their duties.

France is the former colonial power, of course, and there's been no such reaction to the call from Washington for the authorities to do more to protect civilians.

Charles Lambroschini, foreign editor with the French newspaper Le Figaro, discusses France's role (2' 17")

A similar though more guarded call was issued by the British presidency of the European Union, which condemned the mindless violence against innocent people which no motive could justify.

The statement said the Union would explore with the government of Algeria and with aid organisations ways of helping the victims of terrorism. British officials said there would also be discussions in Brussels this week on Germany's proposal to send a diplomatic mission to Algeria to offer help in the fight against terrorism in a way that would protect human rights.

The Algerian government has said it would accept a visit by a UN human rights rapporteur to investigate extra-judicial killings -- a point significantly emphasised by the United States. A State Department spokesman said they had to look into the massacres to determine their extent and perhaps begin to attribute blame for them more clearly.

There's suspicion both inside and outside Algeria that the authorities have been involved in or at least turned a blind eye to some of the atrocities.