AlgerMarch 23, 2023 (SPS) The President of the Democratic and People’s Republic of Algeria, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, affirmed that the question of Western Sahara was a matter of pure decolonization, stressing that “Algeria, which militates for the freedom of the peoples supports the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination”.
In an interview granted to the Qatari channel “Al-Jazeera”, broadcast on Wednesday, President Tebboune affirmed that the question of Western Sahara was a matter of pure decolonization, registered at the level of the Decolonization Commission at the UN. “We have campaigned in his favor and we continue to campaign for the freedom of peoples. We support the right of the Saharawi people to the referendum and we support their choice, whatever it is”, he declared.
The opening of consulates in the occupied Saharawi territories is part of “diplomatic folklore”, he said, recalling “the large number of countries which recognize the Saharawi Republic, one of the founding members of the African Union”.
Referring to the outbidding and mystifications around the Algerian position with regard to the Sahrawi question, the Algerian president indicated that the Spanish government of Franco had proposed Western Sahara to Algeria in 1964, a proposal rejected at the time by the late President Ahmed Ben Bella.
On a possible change in the Algerian position vis-à-vis Spain in the event of a change of government in this country, President Tebboune maintained that “the words of the head of government Pedro Sanchez (concerning Western Sahara) will not be no more bets in the event of a change of Spanish government”, considering that “what he has done is unjust towards the Saharawi people and constitutes a violation of international practices and international law”.
The Algerian president wanted to reassure the Spanish people regarding the continuity of its natural gas supply. “The gas benefits the people and not Sanchez. There has even been an increase in supplies because we are thinking regarding the peoples’ future,” he explained.
For President Tebboune, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell has attempted mediation with a view to finding a solution to the crisis between Algeria and Spain.
“Nevertheless, I explained to him that it was difficult for Sanchez to reverse his decision politically,” he said before adding that Spain was expected to take “a position similar to that of Spain. EU and Borrell have been understanding of our position.”
President Tebboune believes that the Spanish government “has violated” the treaty of good neighborliness and cooperation which bound it to Algeria”, stressing that Spain remains a friendly state with a “very good” relationship with Algeria, which did not change with the Spanish institutions, the people and the royal palace”.
The Algerian president also noted that “the Spanish government pretends to ignore that it is the administering power of Western Sahara, as attested by international law and international customs”, indicating that Spain was supposed to be neutral, “but was impartial because of secret actions which do not relieve her of her responsibility”.
President Tebboune claimed that the King of Spain, government ministers and even the Spanish Parliament were unaware of Sanchez’s position, which we consider to be “individual position and difficult to manage”.
For the Algerian president, commercial exchanges with Spain have not been interrupted, even noting the existence of certain commercial contracts still in force between private individuals, even if exchanges have “significantly decreased, the Algerian operators having been assigned to the same title as the Algerian State by the Spanish attitude which was not up to the level of trust and friendship which united us”. (SPS)
020/090/700