Latest news with #StéphaneRomatet
El Chorouk
13-04-2025
- Politics
- El Chorouk
Quai d'Orsay's Silence, Disregarding Algerian Justice Sovereignty
The French authorities' absence of a response to the Algerian Foreign Ministry's statement regarding the detention of an employee at an Algerian consulate in France indicates that Paris does not conduct its relations with Algeria from the perspective of equality, as French officials claim, haunted by outdated considerations. The French government has not issued an official position on the Algerian Foreign Ministry's statement. However, an anonymous diplomatic source deliberately leaked information to Agence France-Presse (AFP), stating that 'the judiciary, which operates with complete independence, is the sole authority competent to make the decision. ' This is in an attempt to absolve the executive branch of the repercussions of the decision on bilateral relations, which have yet to recover. Both the French Foreign Affairs and Justice Ministries declined to comment on the serious incident of an Algerian diplomat being detained outside consular premises. The diplomatic source stated: 'We affirm our commitment to full respect for international law, particularly the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.' On Saturday, April 12, the Algerian Foreign Ministry announced the summoning of the French Ambassador, Stéphane Romatet, and conveyed Algeria's strong protest against the French judicial authorities' decision to place an Algerian consular employee in pretrial detention in a case related to an alleged kidnapping that occurred about a year ago. Algeria demanded the immediate release of the detained diplomatic official. Algeria denounced this 'regrettable and inappropriate development, which reflects the absence of a unified political will from the French side and exposes the disparity in levels of commitment, as well as the lack of the sincere and serious intention necessary to create a good climate to the normal and peaceful resumption of bilateral relations.' It pledged not to 'leave this new situation without consequences.' The French authorities' response to the Algerian Foreign Ministry's statement can rightly be described as 'an excuse worse than a sin,' as the popular Arab proverb goes. France refuses to extradite the former Industry Minister, Abdeslam Bouchouareb, who is wanted by the Algerian justice, despite its certainty of his involvement in corruption cases that have caused catastrophic damage to the national economy. It also refuses to respond to Algerian judicial requests, despite the signing of bilateral judicial cooperation agreements. Meanwhile, it arbitrarily imprisons Algerian nationals who enjoy diplomatic immunity. Most dangerous of all, Paris repeatedly invokes the independence of the judiciary when it comes to extraditing wanted individuals to Algerian justice or cooperating in the recovery of stolen assets. Yet it continues to demand the release of Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who has openly admitted to harming the Algerian territorial integrity. Interestingly, Boualem Sansal confessed to the crime he committed before the court and was convicted by a court ruling. The ruling was appealed by the defendant and the public prosecutor at the court where he was convicted. Legally, this means he can not benefit from any pardon as long as the ruling is not final. Yet, the French side brazenly insists on his release, violating the law, and by the highest-ranking official in the French state, represented by the resident of the Élysée Palace, Emmanuel Macron, who made two provocative statements in less than two weeks: the first last Wednesday from a plane returning from a visit to Egypt, and the second last Friday from the Paris Book Fair. Concisely, the position expressed by the Quai d'Orsay's source confirms that the French side is brazenly continuing to provoke the Algerians by acknowledging the sovereignty of the French judicial decision and the inability of the executive branch to influence it. Conversely, it gives the impression that the political decision in Algeria is capable of influencing the judicial decision by continuing to demand Sansal's release. This is the height of recklessness, and must be responded to forcefully, so that the French are convinced that there is no future for unequal and unbalanced relations with Algeria.
Morocco World
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Algeria Summons French Ambassador Over Property Row in Latest Diplomatic Blunder
Doha – Less than two weeks after summoning the French ambassador over planned military exercises with Morocco, Algeria has once again called in France's representative, this time over what it claims are 'ridiculously low rents' for French diplomatic properties. This marks the fourth such summons in just three months, in what has become a diplomatic farce revealing the deepening crisis between Paris and Algiers. French Ambassador Stéphane Romatet was summoned to the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday, in a move widely seen as yet another desperate and erratic diplomatic stunt from Algiers. The latest grievance centers around 61 properties that France maintains in Algeria, including the French embassy's sprawling 14-hectare compound in the heights of Algiers, exposing what can be deemed as the regime's own contradictions. The endless cycle of diplomatic harassment The frequency of these diplomatic summons has reached unprecedented levels, becoming almost a weekly ritual that undermines the seriousness of diplomatic protocols. The ambassador's frequent trips to the Algerian Foreign Ministry have become so routine that diplomatic circles in Algiers joke that he should establish a permanent office there. This latest episode pulls back the curtain on a striking paradox in Algeria's diplomatic posturing. While the regime maintains a continuous stream of anti-French rhetoric, it has simultaneously allowed France to maintain extensive property holdings at negligible costs. The French embassy compound, spanning 140,000 square meters in one of Algiers' most prestigious neighborhoods, operates under what the Algerian state news agency APS itself describes as 'a rent so insignificant it wouldn't cover the cost of a modest maid's room in Paris.' Even more telling is the case of 'Les Oliviers,' the ambassador's residence, which covers four hectares and has been rented at what amounts to a 'symbolic franc' since 1962. This arrangement, lasting until August 2023, lays bare what diplomatic sources slam as Algeria's glaring contradiction: aggressive public rhetoric coupled with extraordinarily generous concessions to French interests. A deteriorating relationship marked by increasing hostility The chronology of recent diplomatic confrontations reveals an accelerating pattern of hostility. On March 6, Algeria summoned Romatet to protest the planned Franco-Moroccan military exercise 'Chergui 2025,' scheduled for September in Errachidia. The regime labeled these routine military drills, which have been conducted previously in 2022, as 'an act of provocation' due to their proximity to the Algerian border. Prior to this, on January 28, the regime called in the ambassador over alleged 'discriminatory and degrading treatments' of Algerian passengers at Paris airports. This summons, delivered by Secretary of State for Algerians Abroad, Sofiane Chaib, demanded 'all necessary measures to end these unacceptable acts and practices that dishonor the French government.' The December 15 reprimand proved particularly revealing of the regime's paranoid tendencies, as it accused France's Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure (DGSE) of attempting to 'destabilize Algeria' based on televised statements from a former jihadist. The real stakes behind the property dispute The current focus on property holdings masks deeper issues in the Franco-Algerian relationship. France's Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has taken an increasingly firm stance, declaring in a recent interview with Le Parisien that his position on Algeria is 'non-negotiable,' even suggesting he would resign if his strategy were undermined by the executive. The regime's decision to highlight the property issue might prove catastrophically counterproductive. Sources within French diplomatic circles indicate that this could prompt investigations into the substantial real estate holdings and assets that Algerian officials maintain in France, many of which raise questions about their origins. Moreover, the dispute stands to become a double-edged sword, potentially boomeranging back to Algeria by reviving scrutiny of the broader historical context of property rights. This includes the unresolved issues of properties seized from European residents and Jewish communities following independence, in direct violation of the Évian Accords. A relationship in free fall The already fragile and transactional Franco-Algerian relations, built on decades of post-colonial mistrust and calculated pragmatism, took a nosedive after President Emmanuel Macron threw his weight behind Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara in July 2024, igniting a full-blown diplomatic meltdown. While Macron characterized this position in his October address to the Moroccan parliament as 'not hostile to any party,' Algeria responded by recalling its ambassador to Paris and threatening various sanctions affecting bilateral trade. The impact of this diplomatic crisis is reflected in recent polling data. An Ifop-Fiducial survey conducted for Sud Radio in January shows that Algeria's standing among the French public has reached historic lows, with only 29% holding a favorable view of the country. In stark contrast, Morocco enjoys a 68% favorability rating among French respondents. French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu's observation last January that 'not liking France has become a matter of domestic politics' in Algeria points to a deep-rooted flaw in the relationship. The regime's constant summoning of the French ambassador, rather than achieving any diplomatic objective, appears to be primarily serving internal political purposes while further isolating Algeria internationally. As Algeria expends no energy in scaling back its diplomatic brinkmanship, it not only accelerates the deterioration of its ties with France but also inadvertently reinforces the deepening strategic alignment between Paris and Rabat – an outcome that undercuts its own geopolitical leverage. Far from advancing Algeria's interests, the property dispute has instead unmasked the regime's internal contradictions, deliberately exposing its structural vulnerabilities within the French political and legal spheres. Tags: Algeria France Relations
El Chorouk
17-03-2025
- Politics
- El Chorouk
61 Properties Occupied by France in Algeria for 'Ridiculously Low Cost' Rents
The Algerian Press Service (APS) published an article Sunday evening revealing that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the French ambassador to Algeria, Stéphane Romatet, last week to discuss Algeria's provision of real estate to France. The article described the real estate issue as 'an issue that Paris has ignored for too long, and which, to say the least, reveals the unequal treatment between the two countries.' The official news agency's article comes in response to 'accusations made by the French far-right against Algeria, regarding its alleged benefiting from French aid and its failure to respect agreements signed between the two countries.' The article's editor said, 'Bruno Retailleau (French Interior Minister) did not hesitate to spread this false and unreasonable rhetoric, ignoring that if there's a country benefiting from the bilateral relations, it is France.' The news agency revealed the details: 'Altogether, France occupies 61 properties on Algerian soil for ridiculously low rents. The headquarters of the French embassy in Algeria extends over a vast area of 14 hectares (140,000 square meters) on the heights of Algiers, with a rent so insignificant that it would not even cover the price of a modest maid's room in Paris.' 'As for the residence of the French ambassador, known as 'Les Oliviers,' it spreads over 4 hectares (40,000 square meters) and is rented for a symbolic franc, based on a lease price unchanged from 1962 until August 2023. A largesse that France has never deigned to grant to Algeria on its territory!' the article added. The agency explained that 'this is only the tip of the iceberg. Numerous bilateral agreements allow France to benefit from considerable advantages in Algeria. The most glaring example is the 1968 agreement, which governs the status of Algerians in France and grants them a special immigration regime compared to other nationalities. Paris constantly denounces this agreement but neglects to mention the benefits it derives from it, particularly the Algerian workforce that has contributed significantly to France's reconstruction and economic growth. For its part, Algeria enjoys no comparable privileges in France'. 'Another striking example is the 1994 agreement, which regulates various aspects of cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the areas of trade and investment. In practice, these agreements have primarily enabled French companies to obtain very favourable conditions for operating in Algeria, while limiting the reverse opportunities for Algerian companies in France. Once again, the advantage is one-sided and primarily benefits the French economy,' it added. The article stressed that 'if Paris wants to open the debate on reciprocity and respect for signed commitments, then let's talk about it! We will see who, Algeria or France, has benefited most from these treaties and which of the two countries does not respect the past agreements'. APS concluded that 'the time for hypocrisy is over. It's time for the truth to be brought to light and for the fallacious rhetoric intended to manipulate public opinion to end. Algeria has never been the beneficiary of this relationship; it is France that, for decades, has managed to leverage each agreement to its advantage. And if it wants to demand accountability today, it must first be held accountable itself'.
Ya Biladi
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Algeria summons French ambassador over planned French-Moroccan military exercises
The Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the French ambassador to Algeria, Stéphane Romatet, to formally protest France's participation in joint military exercises with Morocco. During a meeting with the French diplomat, the ministry's Secretary-General, Lounes Magramane, underscored «the seriousness of the Franco-Moroccan military exercises scheduled for next September in Errachidia, near the Algerian border—'Chergui 2025,' a name that carries strong connotations». Magramane further conveyed that «Algeria views this exercise as a provocation», warning that such actions could escalate the ongoing crisis in Algerian-French relations and heighten tensions between the two countries. The Secretary-General also urged the French ambassador to «seek the necessary clarifications on this matter and relay Algeria's stance to his authorities in the exact terms communicated». This diplomatic move comes despite the absence of an official announcement regarding the maneuvers. However, some media reports suggest that representatives from both armies have already held coordination meetings in preparation. It is worth noting that Algeria has frequently conducted military exercises near the Moroccan border, using live ammunition—most notably in May 2023 in the Béchar region, in January 2021 south of Tindouf, and in May of the same year in Oran.
Morocco World
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Algeria Summons French Ambassador Again Over ‘Discriminatory Treatment' at Paris Airports
Doha - Algeria summoned the French Ambassador to Algiers on Tuesday for the second time in six weeks, this time over alleged discriminatory treatment of Algerian citizens at Paris airports, deepening the diplomatic rift in the already tense Franco-Algerian relations. Secretary of State for Algerians Abroad, Sofiane Chaib, called in French Ambassador Stéphane Romatet to express 'firm protestation' regarding what Algeria describes as 'provocative, degrading and discriminatory treatments' of Algerian citizens by border police at Charles-De-Gaulle and Orly airports. According to the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chaib demanded that France take 'all necessary measures to end these unacceptable acts and practices that dishonor the French government.' The ministry stated that Algeria 'categorically rejects any infringement on the dignity of its citizens or their instrumentalization for pressure, provocation, or intimidation attempts.' This latest diplomatic row comes just weeks after Algeria summoned the same ambassador in December 2024 over allegations of 'hostile actions' by French intelligence. At that time, Algeria accused French services of involvement in 'destabilizing activities" and 'attempts to smuggle weapons and ammunition into Algeria.' Algeria's repeated diplomatic provocations have drawn sharp rebukes from French officials. Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu recently stated that 'not liking France has become a matter of domestic politics' in Algeria, while calling for a complete reset of bilateral relations. Read also: Western Sahara: Algeria Recalls Ambassador from France Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has advocated for 'strong measures' and the termination of the 1968 Franco-Algerian immigration agreement. Bilateral relations have plunged since France's recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara last July, a position that President Emmanuel Macron characterized in his October address to the Moroccan parliament as 'not hostile to any party.' Despite its self-proclaimed non-party status in the Western Sahara dispute, Algeria - which continues to arm, finance, and host the Polisario Front separatist group - responded by recalling its ambassador to Paris and threatening sanctions affecting bilateral trade. A recent Ifop-Fiducial poll conducted for Sud Radio this January reveals that Algeria's standing among the French public has reached a historic low, with only 29% of respondents holding a favorable view of the country, while 71% express negative opinions. In contrast, Morocco enjoys a 68% favorability rating among French respondents. The poll also indicated that 74% of French respondents believe Algeria benefits more from bilateral relations than France, while 61% support revoking the 1968 agreement that provides Algerians with special privileges regarding family reunification, movement, and business creation in France.
