France appeals to “indispensable” dialogue with Algeria and avoids evaluating Tebune’s latest criticism

MADRID Jan. 2 () –

The Government of France has avoided evaluating the criticism expressed over the weekend by the president of Algeria, Abdelmayid Tebune, and has assured that “dialogue is essential” between both countries, which have several open fronts regarding Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara. Occidental or the arrest of the writer Boualem Sansal.

Tebune referred to both issues in a speech before Parliament, which Paris prefers not to delve into. “The statements of the Algerian president belong to him,” a spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry simply said this Thursday when questioned about it.

France adheres to the declaration signed in August 2022 by President Emmanuel Macron during a visit to Algiers to defend its willingness to maintain relations, regardless of the current freeze. “It is the roadmap that we agreed with the Algerian authorities and that we wish to continue developing in different sectors of bilateral cooperation,” said the aforementioned spokesperson.

In this sense, he has indicated that the two countries “share interests and concerns” on issues such as regional security, although he has not referred in this area to Western Sahara, the focus of renewed tensions between Paris and Algiers after France recognized July Moroccan sovereignty over the former Spanish colony.

“CONCERN” FOR THE WRITER

During his speech, Tebune also referred in a veiled manner to the Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, detained in mid-November at the airport upon his return from France, to describe him as an “imposter.” The writer was arrested after making controversial comments about the colonization of Algeria by France.

France remains “very concerned”, as stressed by the Foreign Affairs spokesperson, who has promised that freedom of opinion and expression will continue to be defended “tirelessly” from Paris. “State services are fully mobilized to monitor the situation of our compatriot so that he can benefit from the consular protection that corresponds to him as a French citizen,” he added.