Algeria recalls its ambassador to France for “consultations”

A new stage in the tension between the two shores of the Mediterranean. Algiers decided this Saturday to recall “for consultations” its ambassador in Paris, a gesture which is part of a context of increased tensions with France. “Algeria recalls its ambassador in Paris [Mohamed Antar-Daoud] for consultations and a press release will be broadcast on the subject, ”said public television, showing on the screen a short text in Arabic from the Algerian presidency. Algeria “rejects interference in its internal affairs,” the latter said.

According to Algerian media, the recall of the Algerian ambassador to Paris is motivated by statements by Emmanuel Macron in
a newspaper article The world appeared earlier today . In this article, the French president estimates that after its independence in 1962, Algeria was built on “a memorial rent”, maintained by “the politico-military system”. The Head of State also evokes “an official history” according to him “completely rewritten” which “is not based on truths” but on “a speech which is based on a hatred of France”.

Controversial statements by Emmanuel Macron

The article from World quotes a dialogue between Emmanuel Macron and twenty young people whose parents or grandparents were veterans of the Algerian war (1954-1962), harkis (paramilitaries in the service of France) or returnees. In response to a young girl who grew up in Algiers, the president confided not to think that there is a “hatred” against France “of the Algerian society in its depths but of the politico-military system which was built. on this memorial rent ”.

According to him, “we see that the Algerian system is tired, the Hirak [le mouvement pro-démocratie, à l’origine de la démission en 2019 du président Abdelaziz Bouteflika, récemment décédé] weakened it ”. In his exchange with young people, the French president assures that he has “a good dialogue with the president [algérien Abdelmajid] Tebboune ”, adding however:“ I see that he is caught in a system which is very harsh. “

According to local media, another passage from Emmanuel Macron’s statements provoked the ire of the authorities. “Was there an Algerian nation before French colonization? That is the question ”, asked the French president, recalling that there were“ previous colonizations ”.

In an ironic tone, he said he was “fascinated to see Turkey’s capacity to make people totally forget the role it played in Algeria and the domination it exercised”, alluding to the Ottoman Empire. “And to explain that we are [les Français] the only colonizers, that’s great ”. Apart from Morocco where it did not succeed in establishing itself durably, the Ottoman Empire dominated North Africa from the 16th to the 18th century, which it had organized into three provinces: Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli.

The French ambassador summoned on Wednesday

On Wednesday, French Ambassador François Gouyette had already been summoned to the Algerian Foreign Ministry to be notified of “a formal government protest” after Paris’ decision to halve the visas granted to Algerians wishing to travel to France.

Paris announced on Tuesday a sharp decrease in the number of visas granted to nationals of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia citing a “refusal” by these Maghreb countries to issue the consular passes necessary for the return of immigrants returned from France . “This decision, which took place without prior consultation with the Algerian party, contains the crippling anomaly of having been the subject of media uproar generating confusion and ambiguity as to its motivations and its scope. “, Estimated the Algerian ministry to justify the convocation of François Gouyette.

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