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Rabat – Algeria has emphasized that there is no turning back regarding its decision to cut diplomatic ties with Morocco.
The country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ramtane Lamamra said in comments to the media on Saturday that his government’s cutting relations with Morocco does not “tolerate any mediation.”
Ramtane made his remarks in response to questions about a potential Saudi mediation to resolve the tensions between Algiers and Rabat.
“There has been no mediation… And there never will be, not today, not tomorrow,” he said.
The Algerian FM further claimed that his country had “strong reasons” to end all relations with Morocco.
Algeria severed relations with Morocco in August 2021 after accusing Rabat of having a hand in the wildfires that took place in the Kabylia region.
In response, Morocco “regretted” Algeria’s unilateral decision and denied all “fallacies” and “unfounded allegations” from Algiers about a supposed Moroccan agenda to undermine Algerian interests.
The Algerian accusations followed Morocco’s help offer amid the Kabylia wildfires. Moroccan authorities had offered to send two firefighting jets and logistical support to help Algeria prevent the fire from causing more devastation.
Algeria’s decision to cut relations with Morocco also came a few weeks after King Mohammed Vi renewed his dialogue offer to end the decades-long stalemate between the two countries.
In his Throne Speech in July of last year, King Mohammed VI emphasized the urgency to end the tension with Algeria, describing it as a twin country for Morocco.
“Not satisfied with the current state of relations,” King Mohammed VI said, emphasizing Morocco’s readiness to work together with Algeria “without conditions.”
The monarch also called for the end of the closed borders policy between the two countries.
Algeria decided to close the borders with Morocco in 1994 after Rabat imposed visa regulations on Algerian visitors in the wake of a terrorist attack on the Atlas Asni hostel in Marrakech.
Morocco lifted the visa requirement in 2004, but the border has since remained closed.
In addition to severing diplomatic relations with Rabat, Algeria announced in September of last year its decision to close airspace to Moroccan flights.
As Algeria continues its systematic claims and hostility against Morocco, there has been ample evidence in recent months indicating that there will be no resolution to the bilateral crisis anytime soon.
Algeria continues to support, finance, arm, and shelter Polisario, a separatist movement aiming to undermine Rabat’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over the Western Sahara region in Southern Morocco.
