Algeria is refusing to allow a planned visit to the country by European Union officials to explore ways to end the political violence in which thousands have died.

The foreign minister, Ahmed Attaf, told a news conference in Algiers that such a low-level mission would be meaningless. A BBC correspondent says Algeria wanted the visit to be conducted at ministerial level.

The country had also wanted the agenda for such a visit to be about countering terrorists, the word the Algerian government uses to describe the Islamic extremists, whom it blames for the recent massacres.

Mr Attaf made the announcement hours after the Austrian foreign ministry said the delegation planned to make a three-day visit to the North African state on Friday.

Robin Cook: Massacres caused "revulsion and horror" in Europe

The visit by the fact-finding team from Luxembourg, Britain and Austria would have marked the first attempt by the EU to become involved in the Algerian crisis since violence erupted there in 1992.

The mission was set to convey a message of solidarity to the Algerian people and gather information on the current situation, EU officials said.

A spokesperson for the British government said it was disappointed by the news and that it wanted to engage Algeria in dialogue. EU foreign ministers will discuss the situation in Brussels on January 26 - the day the delegation would have reported on their visit.

An Austrian foreign ministry spokesperson had also expressed hopes that "the European diplomats will have contact with high-ranking government officials, particularly the foreign minister".

He also hoped the delegation would meet representatives of non-governmental organisations in Algeria, such as the Red Cross.

The death toll continues to rise

The EU delegation "must establish a dialogue" with Algeria by broaching "well known questions but also by bringing up humanitarian problems", he said.

The Algerian government had already rejected all humanitarian aid. They also refused any international inquiry into the bloodshed interpreting such moves as "meddling" in internal affairs.

"We want to help"

Meanwhile, Britain's ambassador to Algeria has asked for permission to visit the sites of recent massacres of civilians, the Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said on Wednesday.

Mr Cook also said it was in Algeria's interests to allow foreign journalists in to see the country for themselves.

The request came as Algerian newspapers reported 15 armed Muslim extremists killed in and around Algiers by government forces over the past two days.

Mr Cook said the ambassador had asked to visit sites at Relizane and Sidi Hamed, where hundreds of people are reported to have been massacred in recent weeks.

He told the European Parliament: "We want to find out how we can help. We have seen no evidence to support allegations of involvement by the Algerian security authorities."

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