Asharq Al-Awsat
Algiers on Saturday broke its silence on a decision by outgoing US President Donald Trump to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, and warned, in reference to Israel, against “foreign maneuvers” seeking to destabilize the Algeria.
“There are foreign maneuvers which aim to destabilize Algeria,” Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad said.
“There is now a desire by the Zionist entity to come closer to our borders,” he added.
“We are seeing today at our borders… wars and instability around Algeria,” Djerad said, in a speech to mark the anniversary of demonstrations against French colonial rule.
This was Algeria’s first reaction to a surprise announcement by Trump on Thursday of US recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in exchange for Rabat normalizing ties with Israel.
The Algerian Foreign Ministry said Saturday that the US decision “has no legal effect because it contradicts UN resolutions, especially UN Security Council resolutions on Western Sahara.”
“The proclamation would undermine the de-escalation efforts made at all levels in order to pave the way for launching a real political process,” the ministry said in a statement.
