France has “doubts” about Algeria's intentions towards it, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said this Sunday.
“We observe postures which allow us to doubt the intention of the Algerians to stick to the road map,” says Jean-Noël Barrot.
With the case of the writer Boualem Sansal, still incarcerated, as a backdrop.
France “doubt” of Algeria. These are the words used this Sunday, January 5, by the head of French diplomacy, Jean-Noël Barrot. Asked on RTL (new window)he indicated that France had “doubts” on Algiers' desire to respect the road map of Franco-Algerian bilateral relations, also repeating its concerns about the case of the writer Boualem Sansal, imprisoned in Algeria since mid-November.
“We have in 2022 […] drafted a roadmaprecalled the Minister of Foreign Affairs. “But we observe postures, decisions on the part of the Algerian authorities which allow us to doubt the intention of the Algerians to stick to this road map. Because to keep the road map, it takes two .”
“Boualem Sansal? The reasons of the Algerian authorities are not valid”
Jean-Noël Barrot also declared, “like the President of the Republic, very concerned by the fact that the request for release addressed by Boualem Sansal and his lawyers was rejected“. Critic of Algerian power, Boualem Sansal, 75, born to a father of Moroccan origin and an Algerian mother, has been incarcerated since mid-November for endangering state security and is in a detention unit. care since mid-December.
“I am concerned about his state of health and […] France is very attached to freedom of expression, freedom of opinion and considers that the reasons which may have led the Algerian authorities to incarcerate him are not valid.noted Jean-Noël Barrot. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune spoke for the first time last Sunday of the writer's arrest in mid-November in Algiers, describing him as“impostor” sent by France.
The author of 2084: the end of the worldnaturalized French in 2024, is prosecuted under article 87 bis of the Penal Code, which punishes “as a terrorist or subversive act, any act targeting state security, territorial integrity, stability and the normal functioning of institutions”. “We wish to maintain the best relations with Algeria, […] but that is not the case today.”regretted the minister. Algiers withdrew its ambassador from Paris at the end of July when Emmanuel Macron gave strong support to Moroccan proposals concerning Western Sahara, before going to Rabat at the end of October.
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