Transfering the Russian Ambassador from Rabat to Algeria Worries The Makhzen Regime
Great speculations accompanied the selection of the Russian ambassador to Morocco, Valerian Shuvaev, as Russia’s extraordinary ambassador to Algeria, after he terminated his duties as ambassador to Morocco. What does this decision look like from the point of view of one of the deans of diplomacy in Algeria, represented by the former Assistant Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity, Noureddine Djoudi?
The former official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes that the decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin to appoint his former ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, Valerian Shuvaev, as the new ambassador to Algeria, is in the interest of close cooperation between Algeria and Moscow.
Contrary to the readings that the “propaganda” in the Makhzen regime tried to market to the public opinion in its country, that this appointment serves the thesis of the western neighbour in Western Sahara, the Dean of Diplomats believes that this appointment “much annoyed the Moroccan regime and its friends in Europe, because the ambassador appointed in Algeria has a long and large experience, and was subject to a state of pressure in Morocco because of the Russian military operation in Ukraine”.
The long experience of the Russian ambassador in the western neighbour, according to the diplomat Noureddine Djoudi, enabled him to “crystallize a rich vision regarding Moroccan society and the wheels of running state affairs there, if it comes to the Makhzen regime, or King Mohammed VI and its surroundings, and all these facts increase the level of fear of Morocco and its friends about this appointment”.
The Algerian diplomat, Noureddine Djoudi, explained in a phone interview with Echorouk, that among the fears of the Kingdom of Morocco and its friends following the transfer of the Russian ambassador to Morocco to work in Algeria is the possibility that this ambassador will provide the valuable information that he collected during his work in the western neighbour, to the Algerian authorities in the framework of bilateral cooperation, due to the distinguished relations between Algeria and Moscow.
“I do not know the real purpose behind President Putin’s decision to transfer his country’s ambassador who was working in Morocco to Algeria, but what I know is that Putin trusts a lot in Algeria and its positions and Algeria’s respect for bilateral agreements, and its relationship with the axis of non-alignment. Therefore, it sells us weapons that it does not sell to other countries, including some non-aligned countries”, Djoudi added.
However, this “does not prevent the Moroccan regime from being afraid of this step, even if its propaganda apparatus leaked false news trying to delude public opinion there that the transfer of Russia’s ambassador to Algeria, Igor Belyaev, serves Moroccan interests”.
The Algerian diplomat justifies his reading of this situation by the nature of the distinguished Algerian-Russian relations, which are “old, dating back to the period of the liberation war and beyond, that is, from the era of the Soviet Union, but this does not mean that Algeria will abandon its historical position, which is known for its membership in the Non-Aligned Organization and not joining any camp.”, which is the trend established by the Algerian state since the pre-independence period, or as the late President Houari Boumediene, may God have mercy on him, used to say, “When the Soviet Union and the United States of America are strong, we live in calm, if one of the two falls, the situation becomes more complicated”.
Regarding what is being circulated in the western neighbour by its propaganda apparatus, Djoudi said, “We are in an information war, and Morocco is known for its rhetoric that is based on rumours and false information, and everything it does is based on an attempt to harm Algeria. These matters are known even from the occupation period. They are trying every time to convince others of lies, but they fail”.
