“Algerian-Moroccan border to be re-opened early next June” : Diplomatic sources

Diplomatic sources told “Echorouk” that the re-opening of the borders between Algeria and Morocco, closed since 1994, will take place on June 2nd 2011.

• Citing well informed sources, the newspaper stated that this decision was made at the highest level of the Algerian Government. Up until now, the Algerian Government has rebuffed Moroccan overtures to re-open the land borders describing them as attempts by Rabat to salvage its ailing economy.

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  Recent regional and international developments have brought out Algiers’ foreign policy ambitions in North Africa, diplomatic sources surmise.
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• Recent positive press declarations by high-ranking Algerian officials are all signs that Morocco and Algeria are close to re-establish full diplomatic and economic relations and reopen their closed borders.
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• Recent exchange of official visits between the two neighbouring countries and encouraging press declarations notably by Morocco’s Foreign Minister and Algeria’s Agriculture Minister regarding the possible opening of the borders are signs of a thawing in the relations between Rabat and Algiers.
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• In the past, observers wrongly construed some of these same diplomatic activities as a prelude to a warming of relations between the two neighbors.