Hilale: By Seeking Escalation against Morocco, Algeria is Trying to ‘Evade’ its ‘Critical’ Socio-economic Situation

By seeking escalation against Morocco, Algeria is trying to “evade and conceal” a “critical” socio-economic situation on its territory, said Permanent Representative of Morocco to the UN, ambassador Omar Hilale. “Instead of realizing its mistakes, Algeria vehemently tries to blame Morocco for all its troubles, even if fortunately the Algerian people does not follow this daily smear campaign,” stressed the ambassador in an interview with the US magazine “Newslooks”. “Despite all the spurious accusations and escalation of Algiers, Morocco has opted for a responsible and considered attitude, because it is not a warmonger country,” pointed out Hilale, recalling that HM King Mohammed VI, in the speech marking the 22nd anniversary of the accession of the Sovereign to the throne of His glorious ancestors has reached out to Algeria inviting it to “work together, without conditions, for the development of bilateral relations based on trust, dialogue and good neighborliness.” “Unfortunately, this Royal gesture remained without answer,” the ambassador lamented. Asked if Algeria’s escalation conceals its intentions to start a war in the region, Hilale replied: “I sincerely hope that this will never happen”. In addition, the diplomat noted that Algeria’s “primary” responsibility for the creation and maintenance of this conflict is “internationally known”, adding that it has even been enshrined in successive Security Council resolutions that also mention Algeria, each time, for the resumption of the political process, along with Morocco, Mauritania and “polisario”. Responding to a question about a possible resumption of dialogue in light of the Algerian position, the ambassador explained that the refusal of this country to resume the process of round-table meetings, is a “headlong rush” that Member States “do not understand, neither here in New York, nor in the capitals” of the world. “It even goes so far as to ask how can the only country that arms, finances and leads the diplomatic campaign of a separatist armed group shirk its obligations when it comes to the roundtable process in order to reach a mutually acceptable political solution,” noted the diplomat, adding that if Algeria “decides not to participate in this process, it would have to assume its responsibility vis-à-vis the Security Council, the UN Secretary General and his Personal Envoy and the International Community as a whole”. For its part, Morocco is convinced that there is no alternative to resolving this problem without the “effective and responsible” participation of Algeria, stressed Hilale, noting that the kingdom, which has expressed through the Highest Authority of the country its support to the Secretary General of the United Nations and his Personal Envoy Staffan de Mistura, remains committed to the political process. “It is the only way to the resumption of the Maghreb region integration and to bring peace, unity and prosperity to the region as wished by His Majesty the King” in His speech on the occasion of the 46th anniversary of the Glorious Green March, the ambassador concluded.