Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune called the French National Assembly’s condemnation of the “massacre” of dozens of Algerians during a demonstration in Paris in October 1961 a “positive gesture”, reports AFP.

“The French National Assembly has taken a positive step by recognizing the crime committed by (prefect Maurice) Papon in 1961. It is a positive step,” Tebbun said in an interview with national television broadcast on Saturday night.

The head of state stated that a joint commission of historians of the two countries is “working on the issue of memory” of the colonization of Algeria by France (1830-1964), stressing his commitment to this painful and controversial aspect of relations between Algeria and Paris.

“We have reached a stage of maturity that allows us to see things the way we need to, without emotion,” the Algerian president said.

According to him, Algeria seeks to “restore relations with the former colonizer, without giving up a millimeter of our debt to our martyrs in the resistance and liberation war.”

The largely symbolic text adopted Thursday by France’s National Assembly condemns the massacre of October 17, 1961, in which historians say between thirty and more than 200 Algerian demonstrators died.

The resolution, which “condemns the bloody and criminal repression against Algerians carried out under the leadership of police prefect Maurice Papon”, also calls for “the inclusion of the day of remembrance” in the “agenda of national days and official ceremonies”.

The text, which is a “vote for history” according to one of its initiators, environmentalist MP Sabrina Sebaihi, was approved by 67 MPs from the left and President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party, while 11 National Union members voted against.

Tebboune’s official visit to Paris was announced by the two countries a few weeks ago for “late September/early October”. In the meantime, however, Algeria’s Sept. 7 presidential election is three months away, and Tebboun has yet to say whether he will run for a second term.