Brussels, 08/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - Happy at the end of the 9th session of the EU-Algerian Association Council in Brussels on Thursday 4 June, Algeria's Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra abruptly changed tone upon returning to Algiers. “Algeria is redefining its relations with the EU for more mutual respect and balance of interests”, the Algerian press reports, quoting Lamamra's words in response to the EU's concerns about the political state of his country (see EUROPE 11329).
Despite the EU's cautiousness in expressing its criticism, Lamamra flatly rejects it. Algeria's press describes Lamamra as “categorical on the issue of mutual respect, stating that this notion must be highlighted more than ever”. In Lamamra's view, “association does not remove sovereignty”. “We will not accept intrusive tendencies (…) We respect our partnership and we request, and even demand, that it respect our sovereignty”, he added.
This criticism of the EU made by Lamamra as soon as he returned to Algiers went further than the reproach addressed to Algeria on the subject of respecting human rights. His criticism focused on the ongoing review exercise of the European neighbourhood policy (ENP) and denounced “the sterile exercise of classifying countries into categories according to what extent they accept European directives”. Algeria asks in particular for “comparative advantages to be set out” and for account to be taken of Algeria's specific assets in oil and gas, and as a partner in regional security. “Our own stability is already a contribution to Europe's stability. This cannot be quantified”, he said, adding that Algeria is “a net exporter of stability and wants to be appreciated for its worth”.
According to Algerian sources, Lamamra rejected the idea of setting up a drone base in Algeria as part of the naval operation launched by the EU in May to fight migrant trafficking in the Mediterranean.
On a strictly economic level, Lamamra said that there was a “negative balance” from the association agreement. “Algeria has given more than it has received”, he said, criticising the barriers to the development of Algeria's sales to the EU - the “tariff and non-tariff barriers, the fall in European investments in Algeria, the reduction in Sonatrach shares (Ed: Algeria's national hydrocarbons company) in the European gas market”. In addition, Lamamra is anxious to know whether the EU intends to diversify its sources of gas supply - which stems from the idea of setting up a central gas purchasing office and a Euro-Mediterranean energy platform. “These two projects relate to issues that must be resolved as part of the economic dialogue with our European partner”, Lamamra stated.
He also notes “the weakness of the financial allocation to Algeria under the 2014-17 budget programming” - an allocation which does not reportedly “correspond to the ambitious objectives” that have been set. (Fathi B'Chir)