Algiers, 3 February 2025 (SPS) - France's support of Morocco's so-called "autonomy plan" for Western Sahara is a "grave mistake," the president of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, reminding French President Emmanuel Macron of the obligations of his country, a UN Security Council permanent member, supposed to be a guardian of international legality."
"I held discussions with President Macron for more than two hours and a half on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Bari, on June 13th. (...) He told me then that he was about to recognize the 'Moroccanity' of Western Sahara, which we already knew. So, I warned him: "you are making a grave mistake! You are not going to win anything and you are going to lose us," the president of the Republic told French magazine L'Opinion in an interview.
"You forget that you are a permanent member of the UN Security Council, therefore a guardian of international legality."
Western Sahara conflict "is a decolonization issue, according to the United Nations, which has not been settled yet," the president of the Republic said, adding that "Algeria's independence was snatched after 130 years of struggle."
President Tebboune said the "International Court of Justice stated (in an advisory opinion in 1975) that there was no link of sovereignty between Western Sahara and Morocco, except economic relations," and that European justice "is gradually recognizing the rights of the Sahrawis."
The president of the Republic added that Algeria's dealing with Morocco is no more than a response to Morocco's actions.
"It's almost like a game of chess where we are forced to respond to actions that we deem hostile," he said, noting that "Morocco was the first to seek to undermine the integrity of Algeria with an assault in 1963, nine months after its independence, an aggression that left 850 martyrs."
President Tebboune deplored the "expansionist ambitions" of Morocco, citing as evidence the belated recognition of Mauritania.
"It recognized Mauritania only in 1972, that is, 12 years after its independence."
The president of the Republic recalled that "it was the Moroccan authorities that first imposed a visa on Algerian nationals in 1994 after the attacks of Marrakech."
"We recently banned them from flying over our airspace because they are carrying out joint military exercises with the Israeli army on our border, which is contrary to our policy of good neighbourliness."
The president of the Republic said the two countries "will have to put an end to this situation one day."
"The Moroccan people are a brotherly people for whom we wish nothing but the best."
