Blinken urges Algeria to reconsider its diplomatic relations

After visiting Israel, Palestine, and Morocco, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Algeria on March 30. The American official has come to discuss various issues, including the Russian crisis and relations with Morocco.

Ramtane Lamamra, the Algerian foreign minister, welcomed Blinken yesterday at the airport. Blinken also met with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboun later after a press conference at the Algerian embassy.

According to U.S. State Department official Yael Lem, discussions focused on “security and regional stability, trade cooperation and the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

Urging Algeria to minimize its ties with Russia, Blinken stated that “The countries of North Africa and the Middle East have experienced themselves the consequences of Russia’s military campaigns before.”

The American official highlighted Russian interventions in Syria and Libya and the growing negative repercussions of its current crisis on energy and food security.

Referred to as a “brotherly country” in the past by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Russia emerged as a strategic partner of Algeria, namely on the military level.

Since its independence in 1962, Algeria has maintained good ties with Russia.

Last October, the two partners initiated joint military operations in North Ossetia in the North Caucasus Federal District, displaying a strategic partnership.

In addition, after China and India, Algeria is Moscow’s third-largest purchaser of Russian weaponry.

To increase international pressure on Russia, Blinken addressed Algeria, saying that “The international community must increase the pressure on Russia to end this unprovoked and unjustified war.”

Following his meeting with President Tebboune, Blinken called all countries to reevaluate Russia’s relations, supporting other states’ territorial integrity, noting, “I know that that is something Algerians feel strongly about.”

“There are times when one issue emerges that is so black and white,” he added, emphasizing that “It is important to stand with the victim and stand with the principles that have also been violated.”

Media and specialists speculated that Blinken may have urged Algeria to reopen the Algerian natural gas pipeline through Moroccan territory to Spain.

As Europe is facing the severe consequences of the peaking prices of energy, the pipeline would contribute to reducing its dependence on Russian energy.

Last year, The GME pipeline was shut down after Algiers refused to renew a 25-year export deal due to its tensions with Morocco.

Although not publicly, Algeria supports the Polisario Front in its dispute with Morocco over the status of Western Sahara.

Algeria opposes the Autonomy Plan proposed by Morocco, while the Moroccan initiative is gaining further international support, mainly from Spain and the U.S.

Note that Blinken’s tour took place when Spain expressed its official support to the Moroccan proposal, resuming diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The United States Some of the European Union countries have welcomed Spain’s support of the “Serious, realistic and credible” plan as described by some international officials, applauding Morocco’s efforts in resolving the conflict in Western Sahara.

For its part, Algeria expressed its frustration with the new position of Spain by summoning its ambassador to Madrid.

Although not directly, Blinken has called Algeria to consider its relations with neighboring countries as it is urged to reconsider ties with Russia.

The head of U.S. diplomacy had initiated his regional tour earlier this week in Israel, in a kibbutz in the Negev desert, meeting with his Israeli counterparts and those of four Arab countries, including Morocco.