once Again, the relations between Algiers and Rabat pass through the red box of the tensions and quarrels diplomatic. Feels the strong tendency, in the bureaucracies of the two diplomacies, that everyone wants to have the last word.
this is the Latest episode in date of the black series, the case of the consul of morocco in Oran, second largest city of algeria, in the west of the country. On the 13th of may last, a video filmed by a smartphone in Oran, in front of the consulate of morocco, triggers storm after its release on the social networks. One sees there the consul of morocco, Boutaher Aherdane, try to calm of the nationals of the countries blocked in Algeria on the background of a public health crisis ; they are asking to be repatriated to Morocco. The diplomat wants to reassure them, saying that the consulate is open to them to resolve their problems, that the situation can be complicated, because... " as you know, here we are in an enemy country ".
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"enemy Country"
The next day, the ambassador to morocco was summoned by the algerian minister of foreign Affairs, Sabri Boukadoum. He says that " the qualification by the consul general of Morocco in Oran, if it came to be established, the Algeria of the "enemy country" is a serious violation of the customs and practices diplomatic, which cannot be tolerated ". Algiers sees it as " an affront to the nature of the relations between the two neighbouring countries and the two peoples brothers ". The foreign Affairs algerian require of the moroccan authorities " taking appropriate measures to avoid the impact of this incident on bilateral relations ".
moroccan Side, this is the site The 360 which responds to the Algerian people, citing an "authorised source at the embassy of Morocco in Algiers" : "The video was the subject of a mounting to fit to our diplomat about that he has not spoken at any time. Anyway, this is not the content of the same video that was sent to us by Monday 11 may." The same media concludes : "there is really not enough to make a flat statement falsely attributed to a consul, when the chief-of-staff and the president algerians qualify Rabat enemy, and behave as if they were in a war against Morocco ! "
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Consternation Flap
The case could have stopped there, this is not the first (nor the last) quarrel between the officials of the two neighbouring States. But now the 9 June, the spokesman of the algerian presidency, Belaid Mohand Oussaïd, says, during a press conference at the presidential palace, that the consul moroccan left Algeria at the request of Algiers, he " has exceeded all limits of convenience ", and he adds that " the attitude of the consul moroccan was not surprising because it is an intelligence officer moroccans ". The spokesman of the presidency ensures that this page in the diplomatic relations between the two countries " is now tour ". Nothing is less sure. The head of diplomacy of morocco, Nasser Bourita, responds by summoning the Algerian ambassador to Rabat and declaring that " Morocco expresses its dismay at these allegations from a representative of an institution that is supposed to show discernment and restraint." "Morocco rejects these assertions are ridiculous and without foundation ", continues Bourita, indicating that, from the point of view of morocco, " the recall of the consul has been decided at the own exclusive initiative of Morocco, even if it is always discharged his duties in a manner quite appropriate and professional ".
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Who will have the last word ?
Response of Algiers : no, the departure of the consul of morocco to Oran is not reached at the "own exclusive initiative" ! "The steps taken by the government [of algeria], to denounce, the serious slippage of the consul general of morocco in Oran, and call the moroccan party to take the necessary measures may not have a different meaning or interpretation than that of his recall by his country ", said the spokesperson of the ministry of foreign Affairs of algeria, Abdelaziz Benali-Cherif.
"This requirement of the algerian party has been reiterated in clear and direct to the opportunity of telephone interviews that took place between the foreign ministers of the two countries, following this unfortunate episode," insisted the spokesman of the algerian.
This episode has been preceded by another at the end of February-beginning of march last. The moroccan minister of foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, had ironisé, on the 28th of February, anticipating a reaction of algeria concerning the opening of consulates of african countries in the western Sahara : "the One who is preparing to write press releases and recall its ambassador for consultation must continue on this path. "The next day, Alger was answered by the voice of its minister of foreign Affairs describing the statements of its counterpart in morocco of "posturing" and " provocations ". In early may, Bourita draws his sword once again at the top line of the contact group of the non-aligned Movement (NAM) : "A neighbouring country continues to fuel separatism and to divert resources from its population for acts of regional destabilization. "It was in response to remarks by president Abdelmadjid Tebboune, on this same virtual summit of the non-aligned movement, which referred to the western Sahara as" occupied territory ".
The fighting between the two capitals do not seem to know of the truce.
