For These Reasons, France Refuses To Withdraw Its Ambassador From Algeria!

For the second time in about a week, the French ambassador to Algeria, Stéphane Romateh, was summoned by the Algerian Foreign Ministry, a procedure that is carried out in accordance with diplomatic customs and traditions, in the event that the host country is disturbed by the actions and practices of the country represented by the ambassador in question.

The summons this time came against the backdrop of Algerian real estate properties used by the French embassy and its diplomatic annexes, which became the subject of Algerian discontent with the privileges obtained by the French side, which became unjustified in light of the French racist escalation towards Algerian interests, making it imperative to review them a guaranteed right.

Since last December, the French ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Ministry building four times, the first of which was to deliver a strongly worded protest regarding French intelligence in targeting Algeria’s security and stability through its attempt to recruit Algerian nationals in favor of French special interests.

The penultimate summons was against the backdrop of the announcement of the French army’s participation in an exercise project with the Moroccan regime’s army in the Rachidia region near the country’s western border, which was considered by the Algerian authorities as an unacceptable provocation.

Does this mean that the French ambassador is on the verge of being declared persona non grata, as happened two days ago with the South African ambassador to the United States of America, especially since Algeria withdrew its ambassador from Paris last summer, a fact that strengthens the hypothesis that the French side has adopted the logic of reciprocity?

At first glance, it can be said that the frequency of recalling any ambassador to the foreign ministry of the country hosting him indicates that diplomatic relations between the two countries have become very tense, justified by the controversial issues.

But why has the French side not decided to withdraw its ambassador from Algeria, who has become handcuffed by the worsening diplomatic crisis between Algeria and Paris, unable to carry out his mission comfortably, as his predecessors used to move freely, meeting politicians, media professionals and activists in the associative movement?

A diplomatic analyst to whom “Echorouk” spoke believes that the French authorities are keen to keep their ambassador in Algeria despite the harassment imposed on him by the worsening diplomatic crisis, because he is an official diplomatic channel for communication with the authorities of the country that hosts him, as the charge d’affaires is the lowest diplomatic representation and cannot be the only one who is able to do so.

According to the same specialist, the summoning of the French ambassador comes each time against the backdrop of a specific issue, even if the files are repercussions of the crisis that has hit bilateral relations since last summer, and indicates that the degree of tension has reached unprecedented levels.

The role of the ambassador goes beyond acting as a diplomatic channel between the authorities of his country and the host country, according to the same diplomatic expert, to cooperate and coordinate with the ambassadors of other countries present in Algeria, especially those of the European Union, when it comes to a member state of this space.