Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said his country stood by its decision to sever diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In an interview with local media outlets on foreign policy decisions, Tebboune said Algeria had never had problems with any nation without reason.
Tebboune said political decisions were not made arbitrarily and noted that Algeria remembered with gratitude the nations that had supported it in the past. He added that those seeking to exert pressure and dominance over the country were seriously mistaken.
Tebboune: We do not back down once a decision is made
Asked under what circumstances a decision was made and whether it would later be reversed, Tebboune said Algeria did not take steps without justification.
Tebboune said, "We do not make any decision until matters reach a critical point. We have no problem without reason with any nation in the world, but once we make a decision, we do not back down."
Emphasizing that Algeria would not compromise on its independence and sovereignty, Tebboune said the country would not allow some oil companies operating there and their representatives to establish dominance through coercion.
Tebboune said, "We will never allow some oil companies and their representatives, who owe their existence today to us, to try to subjugate us through coercion. This is Algeria; 5 million 630 thousand martyrs lie in this land. We have no right to hand this country over to anyone."
Tebboune said the country’s doors were open to everyone who acted in accordance with the law, adding that those who acted coercively were mistaken. Tebboune also recited lines from Arabic literature about a person who turns against a benefactor after receiving a kindness, saying Algeria had a culture that did not forget the good done to it.
Diplomatic tensions in Algeria-UAE relations
Algeria’s Foreign Ministry announced on September 10 that it had decided to sever diplomatic relations with the UAE. The ministry said all avenues for preserving relations between the two countries had been exhausted.
The UAE Foreign Ministry said it expected Algeria’s decision to be temporary.
