Sahara-Algeria-Italia: Duplicitous Algerian rulers make another diplomatic blunder

Through high cunning and deceptive diplomacy, the Algerian rulers, who are facing unprecedented popular pro-democracy protests, are desperately trying to outwit the international community but to no avail.

 

Their obsession with the Sahara issue and pathological hatred for Morocco make them often fatally snared as they constantly attempt to frame foreign leaders to gain political support for the Polisario separatists.

 

For evidence, look no further than the readouts released by Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and President Abdelmajid Tebboune following their latest phone call.

 

The two officials gave different accounts. The Algerian President said the Sahara issue was discussed, while the Italian Premier did not say a word about it which raises questions about the endgame of the Algerian misinformation.

Italy’s PM had a telephone conversation on May 4 with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. “Talks focused on the Italian-Algerian strategic partnership, including the reform process underway in Algeria and the upcoming institutional meetings (…). Regional crises were also discussed, with particular attention to the situation in Libya and the Sahel”, said the Italian government in a press release (https://www.governo.it/it/articolo/colloquio-telefonico-draghi-abdelmadjid-tebboune/16781).

 

However, the Algerian presidency said talks with Italian PM covered bilateral relations, regional and international issues of common interest, particularly Western Sahara (https://web.facebook.com/AlgerianPresidency/posts/301510731431819?__tn__=-R)

This is not the first time that Algerian leaders have twisted statements of world foreign leaders on the Sahara for political gains in their everlasting showdown engaged against neighboring Morocco.

Last week, Algerian FM Sabri Boukadoum tried to outmanoeuvre US Secretary of State Antony Blinken by pretending that the Sahara issue was at the centre of their talks, but his insidious and manipulative tactics failed after Secretary Blinken tweeted his encounter with Algerian FM.

These two incidents are damaging to the credibility of Algiers. They show a dark pattern of calculated deception, treachery and manipulation of the Algerian diplomacy.