Algeria refuses to open borders with Morocco due to blackmail

Algeria Friday denounced Morocco’s allegations about its “three requirements” to open borders closed since 1994. The Algerian foreign ministry held the Moroccan Kingdom responsible for keeping the borders closed and not respecting bilateral conventions.

“It worthy of note that Algeria and Morocco agreed in February on assessing bilateral relations in an honest way and determining conditions for the common objective process of consultation meant to concretize a peaceful character for Algerian-Moroccan bilateral relations,” said spokesman for the ministry Amar Blani in response to a release issued by the Moroccan foreign ministry.

“Yet, a few months later, Algeria noticed that the smear campaign now does not only focus on slander against Algeria but it has become more serious. It is intended to threat our country’s territorial integrity through irresponsible acts from some Moroccan politicians,” he added.

Earlier, Morocco’s Independence Party called for recovering the provinces of Tindouf and Bechar (south of Algeria).

Blani also said expected efforts on cooperation and the fight against drug trade did not reach Algeria’s objectives.

Speaking about the Western Sahara issue, he said Morocco considers the it as a hindrance to the development of bilateral relations in spite of reached agreements on all the levels.

Earlier, Moroccan officials said what they called a “regional fabricated conflict” is subjected to the “cold war logic.”

According to Blani, Algeria’s position toward the Western Sahara issue is permanent as it is related to decolonization issues which come under the United Nations in accordance to the International Law.

Algeria put “three requirements” to re-open borders with Morocco.

An Algerian senior official told Echorouk the requirements consist in: ending the hostile campaign against Algeria, ending Moroccan drug flow and not involving the Algerian position in the Western Sahara issue.