Spanish FM refuses to play by Algiers’ rules

An announced visit by Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares to Algiers never took place, due to what Spanish media ascribe to the conflicting agenda of Tebboune.

According to analysts, the visit could have signaled a rapprochement between the two countries after Algiers protested at the sovereign decision of Madrid to back Morocco on the Sahara issue.

Albares conditioned his visit on a meeting with president Tebboune, the latter declined and insisted that Albares meets his foreign minister Ahmed Attaf. The goal was to give a false impression to his own disenchanted people that Spain is the party that is seeking reconciliation.

Spain postponed the visit sine die as it continues to reiterate its commitment to the declaration made by PM Pedro Sanchez in 2022 recognizing Morocco’s autonomy plan as the “only” solution to the Sahara issue.

Algeria last month returned its ambassador to Madrid without any diplomatic gains, ending a chapter of economic warfare and diplomatic hostility to Spain.

Algeria has in late 2021 reduced gas flows to Spain when it halted the flow through the pipeline crossing Morocco. It then threatened to cut gas exports to Spain altogether if Madrid sells Algerian gas to Morocco. Algeria also asked its banks to shun funding imports from Spain and loosened border control, turning a blind eye to thousands of Algerian migrants crossing on risky boats to Spain.

All these measures failed to force Spain to abandon its sovereign decision to support Morocco’s territorial integrity.

Algeria has then sought to use its proxies in Spain who were also dealt a heavy blow a few days ago.

“Spain’s position on Western Sahara is fully consistent with international legality, as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez underlined in his September 2023 speech at the United Nations General Assembly”, Albares said few days ago in a written answer to Basque deputy Jon Iñarritu of the pro-Algeria EH-Bildu party.

The Joint Declaration of April 7, 2022, specifically states: “Spain considers the Moroccan autonomy initiative, presented in 2007, as the most serious, realistic and credible basis for the resolution of this dispute”.