Algeria Summons Moroccan Ambassador Over Consul’s ’Enemy Country’ Remark

This summons follows the remarks made in a video by the Moroccan consul in Oran, during a meeting this week with members of the Moroccan community who came to protest against Rabat’s refusal to repatriate them, reports TSA-Algérie. "We are in an enemy country; I tell you frankly," the Moroccan ambassador to Algiers would have said to dissuade them.

"These remarks by the Moroccan Consul General in Oran, if they were to be established, constitute a serious violation of diplomatic principles, which cannot be tolerated," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said to the Moroccan ambassador.

"It is also an attack on the good quality of relations between two neighboring countries and two brotherly peoples; which requires the Moroccan authorities to take appropriate measures to avoid the repercussions of this incident on bilateral relations," concludes the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement. Everything suggests that the Algerian authorities are demanding the recall of the Moroccan consul.

"The video you are referring to has been tampered with to make our diplomat say things he has not uttered at any time. In any case, it is not the content of the same video that was transmitted to us on Monday, May 11," said an authorized source at the Moroccan embassy to Le360.

For now, expertise would be underway to confirm or deny the authenticity of the recording.