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For the former ambassador of Paris to Algiers, Xavier Driencourt, Franco-Algerian bilateral relations are clearly “in a bearish period”, expressing surprise at the comments made by the head of French diplomacy who spoke during an interview of his ” doubts” as to Algiers’ intentions towards France.
“I would not say that there is a plan organized by Algiers to destabilize France,” Xavier Driencourt, former French ambassador to Algiers (2008-2012 and 2017-2020), declared on January 7, “but the fact is that the Algerians have relays in France.
Guest of La Grande interview Europe1-CNews, he was questioned about the arrest of several Algerian influencers accused of having made comments on social networks in support of terrorism.
“But I have in mind the comments made to me by the former Algerian Prime Minister who said to me, Mr. Ambassador, we know you much better than you know us, and I believe that everything is in this formula” confided the diplomat.
Barrot has “doubts” about Algiers’ intentions towards France
The author of “the Algerian enigma» (Ed. L’Observatoire, 2022) also returned to the declaration of Jean-Noël Barrot: “when I hear the French Minister of Foreign Affairs say that he has doubts regarding Algeria’s good intentions I believe that the time is no longer for doubts, the time is for certainty,” he said.
On January 5, guest of the Senate-RTL-Le Figaro-M6 Public Grand Jury, the head of French diplomacy expressed his “doubts” about Algiers’ commitment to respect a road map for Franco-Algerian bilateral relations, all while the latter are going through a period of unprecedented tensions since July 2023 and the support provided by Emmanuel Macron to the Moroccanness of Western Sahara during a visit to Rabat.
This former Spanish colony, considered a “non-autonomous territory” by the UN, has pitted Morocco against the Polisario Front supported by Algeria for half a century.
“We have in 2022 […] drafted a roadmap […]we want to [qu’elle] can be followed,” declared the French minister. “But we observe postures, decisions on the part of the Algerian authorities which allow us to doubt the intention of the Algerians to stick to this road map. Because to keep the roadmap, it takes two,” he continued.
Bilateral relations in “very serious deterioration”
“We also fear reactions from Algeria, from the Algerian power which is today the subject of a sort of headlong rush with the arrest of Boualem Sansal” declared Xavier Driencourt. He believes that it “is part of a continuum of a very strong deterioration in the Franco-Algerian relationship over the past six months”, referring to Emmanuel Macron’s famous visit to Rabat as well as the Goncourt Prize awarded at the beginning of November to the Franco-Algerian Kamel Daoud.
“There have always been ups and downs” in relations between Algeria and France, “but today we are in a bearish period,” insisted Driencourt.
Boualem Sansal, a Franco-Algerian writer, was arrested on November 16 and placed under arrest ten days later, after his hearing by the anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office in Algiers. On December 29, during a speech before Parliament, Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune called Sansal an “imposter” who was allegedly sent by France.
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