Ahmed Taleb Ibrahimi:I told Chadli I will not stay in government

In the third part of Algerian former foreign minister Ahmed Taleb Ibrahimi’s memories, he talks about a series of important events starting from President Houari Boumediene’s death. He explains how decision makers chose Chadli Bendjedid as President. At the end of the memories, he talks about the October 1988’s events.

Merbah, Beloucif and Benyeles choose Chadli as President Taleb Ibrahim says there was no doubt that the Revolution Council’s members would play a decisive role in the appointment of late Boumediene’s successor. “During their daily meetings, two of them wanted to run for office: Mohamed Saleh Yahiaoui, the FLN’s leader and
Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the foreign minister.”
As the Revolution Council failed to come up with a majority-based position, the army’s senior members Kasdi Merbah, Mustapha Beloucif and Rachid Benyeles warned of the fierce race between Yahiaoui and Bouteflika and its bad consequences on Algeria’s unity.
“The three officers believed that the situation then became dangerous for the country and the army’s unity […]. They wanted to find a third candidate who could reach unanimity.”
With the help of some central directors at the national defense ministry, Yahiaoui and Bouteflika were excluded while Colonel Chadli Bendjedid was chosen as he was member of the Revolution Council.
Chadli “covers” Saddam for Palestine Ibrahim says he was in charge of an investigation into the attack on
the presidential aircraft Gruhman G2 which was carrying Algerian former foreign minister Mohamed Sedik Benyahia and his delegation on May 2nd, 1984. They were heading for Tehran as part of mediation
efforts between Iraq and Iran to end the war.
Investigators accused Iraqi authorities of being involved in the crime as the Algerian aircraft was targeted by the Iranian air army as it thought it was an Iraqi warplane.
“On August 10th in 1982, I was received by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. I talked with him about the Algerian aircraft issue and the investigation results. I told him the rocket which targeted the aircraft was made in the Soviet Union and had been delivered to Iraqi authorities,” says Ibrahimi.
“Saddam Hussein said he appreciated Algeria’s position and he was ready to organize a meeting between Iraqi and Algerian experts in Algeria to deepen the investigation result. He also said Iraq did not have any interest in hitting the Algerian aircraft,” he added.
According to Ibrahimi, President Chadli said it was difficult to tell the Algerian people the truth about the attack because that would increase hate against Arabs and the Palestinian Cause would be hit.
I did not want to stay in the government as it shot its people Speaking about the October 1988’s events, Ibrahimi said he was in the US to attend the UN’s general assembly session. “As the events broke out, a special plane took me to Algiers. President Chadli was waiting for me to know about my position.”
“I told Chadli I did not want to stay in the government as it ordered the army to shoot people. I advised him to deliver a speech to the nation and meet with the FLN’s political office.”
Ibrahim said he attended a meeting chaired by Chadli on October 9th about possible reforms to resolve the crisis.
Conflict between President’s Office, Army and FLN triggered October’s events Ibrahimi believes that the events were caused by the President’s Office, the Army and the FLN. “The October 5th’s events were due to the absence of institutional balance between the three poles which wanted to reach coexistence. They are the presidential, the military and the parliamentary poles.”
He also said a wing in power wanted to establish a liberal economy based on liberating the energy sector and foreign commerce from the State’s control.
Ibrahim concluded that the October’s events aimed at eliminating personalities who influenced Chadli’s decisions.