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Rabat – Spain wants relations with Algeria to be as strong as the newly reinvigorated Spanish-Moroccan bilateral ties.
Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister Jose Manuel Albares said on Thursday that his country aims to achieve the “best relations” with Algeria, stressing that he wants bilateral diplomatic ties with Algiers to be as good as Spain enjoys with Morocco.
“We want to have the best relations with Algeria, with the Algerian government, and with the people of Algeria,” Albares said. He added that this relationship cannot be “exclusive,” and cannot come at the cost of harming Madrid’s “excellent” relations with Morocco.
Albares echoed the statement that the Spanish government issued in March following Algeria’s decision to recall its ambassador to Madrid. The Algerian decision came in response to Spain’s endorsement of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the most serious and credible basis to end the dispute over Western Sahara.
In response, Algeria recalled its ambassador and condemned the Spanish endorsement of Morocco’s autonomy initiative.
The Spanish government said that it seeks to maintain diplomatic ties with Algeria, but stressed that its decision to endorse Morocco’s autonomy initiative is a “sovereign” act.
In June, Albares acknowledged that he needs time to “reorient relations” with Algeria.
The statement came after Algeria decided to suspend a 20-year-long friendship treaty between Algiers and Madrid in protest of Spain’s new position on Western Sahara.
“Everything takes time. Of course, Span’s hand is outstretched,” he said.
