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Rabat – Algeria has finally spoken up regarding the ongoing Catalonia crisis with a statement supporting the Spanish central government, thus breaking away from its ideology of supporting separatist movements worldwide.
Algeria has come out with a public position regarding the ongoing crisis in Catalonia, where the local government and parliament had declared independence from Spain, forcing Madrid to intervene to suspend the northern region’s autonomy status.
Algeria remained silent for a month while tension continued to build between Madrid and the restive region. However, the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its support of the Spanish central government.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Abdelaziz Benali Cherif, said that his country is attached “to the integrity and unity of the Kingdom of Spain.”
“Algeria, which is bound with Spain with a treaty of friendship, good neighborliness and cooperation, traditional important relations coupled with a high level political dialogue has full trust in the capacity of the Spanish people and authorities to overcome the current situation and resolve the crisis in respect of the constitution of the kingdom of Spain and its democratic institutions,” said Cherif.
Meanwhile, the former Catalan government chief Carles Puigdemont arrived in Brussels on Monday with some members of his cabinet, escaping prosecution for charges of “sedition, rebellion and misuse of public funds.”
Algiers’s announcement of supports came a few days after Rabat reiterated its solidarity with the Spanish government in its attempt to preserve the country’s unity.
Algeria’s support for Spanish unity stands in contrast with a position the Algerian government expressed in the past.
In the 1970’s, Algiers, under the leadership of the late Houari Boumediene, was known for being a fervent supporter of the Canary Islands Independence Movement (MPAIAC), led by Antonio Cubillo.
In addition to diplomatic backing, especially in the African Union (AU) where Algiers was garnering support for the organization that used violence to get Madrid comply with its separatist demands, MPAIAC’s radio station was airing from Algiers.
In addition to the support of MPAIAC, Algeria has been best known for sponsoring the Polisario Front and its claims over the region of Western Sahara.
For four decades Algiers has provided military, diplomatic and financial aid to the organization, which Morocco has denounced as a systematic policy to undermine its integrity and unity.
