By Hassan Gabriel
ALGIERS, Algeria (AA) - Algeria withdrew its ambassador from France on Tuesday and downgraded its diplomatic representation to the level of chargé d’affaires in protest of the French recognition of a Moroccan proposal for autonomy in the disputed Western Sahara region.
In a statement, the Algerian Foreign Ministry accused France of “violating international legitimacy and disregarding the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination by endorsing the Moroccan plan as the sole basis for resolving the Western Sahara conflict within the framework of presumed Moroccan sovereignty.”
The statement further criticized the current French administration for its lack of foresight and assessment of the consequences of its actions.
“No previous French government had taken such a step,” the ministry said.
“As a result, Algeria has decided to immediately withdraw its ambassador to the French Republic, appointing a chargé d’affaires to handle diplomatic affairs in France,” it said.
The Western Sahara issue dates back to 1975 when Spanish colonial rule ended in the region. Subsequently, the conflict escalated into armed hostilities between Morocco and the Polisario Front until a cease-fire agreement was reached in 1991.
While Morocco proposes an expanded form of self-rule in the Western Sahara under its sovereignty, the Algeria-backed Polisario Front advocates for a referendum on self-determination.
*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul