Algeria recalls its envoy to France over intolerable remarks published in French newspaper and attributed to Emmanuel Macron
Algeria has accused its former colonial ruler France of genocide and has recalled its Ambassador from Paris in retaliation to the comments attributed to the President of France – Emmanuel Macron which said that Algeria is ruled by a political military system.
The comments were published in a French newspaper, Le Monde. The newspaper also attributed to Macron that Algeria is rewriting its official history which is not based on truth but on a discourse of hatred towards France.
Algeria is also upset that there hasn’t been any clarification from Macron on the comments in the newspaper. The paper added that Macron clarified he was not referring to Algerian society as a whole but to the ruling elite.
A statement from Algerian Government read, “Following remarks that have not been denied, which several French sources have attributed by name to [Macron], Algeria expresses its categorical rejection of the inadmissible interference in its internal affairs.”
It further read, “The crimes of colonial France in Algeria are innumerable and fit the strictest definitions of genocide.”
The immediate recall of Algeria’s Ambassador was announced in a statement by the President of Algeria. The Government of Algeria has also banned French military planes from its airspace. France’s jets regularly fly over Algerian territory to reach the Sahel region of Western Africa, where its soldiers are stationed.
Speaking on the occasion, the Spokesperson of French Army – Colonel Pascal Ianni said, “This morning when we filed flight plans for two planes, we learned that the Algerians had stopped flights over their territory by French military planes.”
Prior to this, France had announced to reduce the number of visas it grants to citizens of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia by 50%. The decision was made as former colonies had not done enough to allow asylum seekers rejected by France to return. Algeria termed the move of reduction is visas as an unfortunate act that caused confusion and ambiguity as to its motivation and its scope.
The Foreign Ministry of Algeria had also summoned the French Ambassador – Francois Gouyette and handed him a note of “formal protest” over the new visa rule.
Meanwhile, the President of Tunisia – Kais Saied expressed disappointment with the decision in a telephone call to Macron. During the call, Macron said that the rules can be revised. Besides, the Foreign Minister of Morocco – Nasser Bourita has described the French move as unjustified.
