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Rabat – Abderrazak Makri, the leader of the Algerian Movement of Society for Peace Party (MSP), released a lengthy statement on the unilateral severing of ties with Morocco by Algeria, calling Morocco a weak state among other things. The politician also criticized certain aspects of the decision making on Algeria’s end.
“The Kingdom of Morocco is, among the Arab states, the one that has lost the most of its sovereignty,” Makri’s Facebook post stated, “as it is a subservient country that only works for the interests of France, Zionism, and the Western and American apparatus as a whole.”
Makri’s statement attempted to justify Algeria’s unilateral decision to sever ties with Morocco , calling its neighbor “a weak state with several ongoing crises,” claiming that Moroccan authorities are trying to distract their population by involving Algeria in the matter of Western Sahara.
Makri made headlines and stirred controversy earlier this year too, when he joined Tunisia’s Rachid Ghannouchi to call for a Maghreb Union without Morocco, citing Morocco’s growing relations with Israel.
Algeria recently announced that it would be severing its diplomatic ties with Morocco. Algerian officials have cited continued “hostile actions” from the part of Morocco, after accusing the Kingdom of being responsible for the recent wildfires in Algeria, in an unsubstantiated conspiracy theory that also includes Israel and domestic opposition groups.
Makri also posited that Morocco shifted its policy under the rule of Mohamed VI’s Makhzen, after a peaceful relationship with Algeria before.
Among Makri’s accusations toward Morocco are “collusion” with Israel, supporting the country in becoming an observer member of the African Union, as well as supporting the Movement for the self-determination of Kabylie (MAK), that aims to achieve autonomy for Algeria’s Kabylie region.
The Algerian politician also accused Morocco of the “criminal export” of drugs to Algeria, particularly cannabis, which has been recently approved for legal production in Morocco.
“Despite this, the decision to cut ties was a rushed one that should have undergone consultation with members of the government including the opposition, as all democratic states do in similar situations,” Makri’s post continued.
He warned that while the decision is “understandable due to the behaviour of Morocco’s regime”, ties were minimal already and that any further tension could threaten the populations of the two countries.
Makri continued on to say that as far as support for the MAK is involved, France and the UAE are bigger supporters of the movement, describing Morocco as “subservient” in this regard.
Tensions between Morocco and Algeria date back many years, with the central issue in the conflict centered on Algeria’s support of the separatist movement, the Polisario Front.
Morocco has been recently attempting to bridge the gap between the two nations and extend an olive branch to its North African neighbor, with King Mohammed VI calling for dialogue between the two nations to re-open the borders, and offering to aid Algeria to help combat the wildfires that were ravaging the region earlier this month, an aid offer was ignored by Algeria’s government.
