The Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced a decisive move, suspending the Treaty of Friendship with Spain amid a bilateral political dispute that has now spilled into commercial commitments with the European Union. The decision signals a broader diplomatic tilt as Algeria seeks to realign its regional and international priorities in light of ongoing tensions with Madrid.
Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra stated that Algeria rejects the allegations circulating about gas supply arrangements with Spain as unfounded and malicious. He also criticized the European Union for positions he described as rushed, arguing that they overstep where they lack a legal basis to adjudicate the relationship between Algeria and Spain within EU frameworks.
The North African nation faced a full diplomatic crisis as Spain pressed its stance on Western Sahara. Lamamra emphasized that the EU’s public statements were both hasty and without sufficient substance, while defending the EU as a partner in the shared interests of stability and prosperity. A suspension of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborhood and Cooperation with Spain was confirmed on the preceding Wednesday, marking a significant shift in bilateral ties.
Lamamra argued that the EU statements revealed a bias and a failure to recognize the bilateral nature of the dispute with a European country. He also drew attention to the implications for direct debts and commercial relations, suggesting that some European circles act without a full grasp of the economic and legal realities involved.
According to the minister, the situation essentially revolves around whether a partner remains bound by the obligations and core values embedded in the treaty. Algeria, he said, would not permit the document to be emptied of its essence through selective interpretations or political maneuvering, especially at a moment when the integrity of bilateral commitments is under scrutiny.
Algeria described the Spanish move as an unfortunate intrusion that could undermine the established and trusted network of mutual interests with the European Union. The country stressed its commitment to the association framework with the EU and emphasized that it would pursue legitimate aims within that framework while acknowledging the asymmetries in the two sides’ commercial structures. Transparency, in the view of Algerian authorities, remains essential.
Moving forward, Algeria confirmed that it continues to fulfill its obligations under the Association Agreement with the European Union and is prepared to promote all relevant aspects of that framework. The government highlighted that the decision to suspend trade-related provisions stems from concerns about the evolving political context surrounding Western Sahara, while assuring Spain that gas supplies would be maintained and that the economic measure would not automatically sever overall trade relations.