After Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune threatened to cut gas supplies to Madrid due to the latter’s position shift on the Western Sahara conflict, Spanish FM Jose Manuel Albares said that “the decision falls under Spain’s sovereignty.”
The Spanish head of diplomacy refused to comment on the Algerian government’s “condemnation” of the Iberian Kingdom’s support for the Moroccan autonomy proposal for the Sahara.
“I will not fuel futile differences with the Algerians, but Spain has taken a sovereign decision within the framework of international legitimacy and there is nothing else to add,” said Albares on Onda Cero radio this Monday.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune described Spain’s decision as “morally and historically unacceptable,” adding Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s recent foreign policy move “changed everything.”
The FM commented on the statements made by Tebboune this weekend saying that “among all the Algerian statements, what matters to the Spanish state is the full guarantee of the supply of Algerian gas to Spain, and the strict respect of the international contracts concluded by our companies with the Algerian government.”
For reference, Algeria is compelled to supply Spain with gas until the expiration of an international agreement, which will last until 2030.
Since Spain announced its support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, the Algerian government expressed its surprise and anger on multiple occasions, going as far as to recall its ambassador to Spain.
As of late, Algiers has been explicit in its search for new European buyers such as Italy, in an attempt to derail its exports towards Spain.
However, considering the binding nature of such international agreements, the North African country is unlikely to break its contractual obligations toward Spain.
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