Algeria is now threatening to terminate its contract with Spain

Algeria, threatened on Wednesday to break the gas supply contract with Spain if the latter were to route it “to a third destination”, referring, without naming it, to Morocco. This new turnaround comes as Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has been ridiculed by Madrid for his interference in the internal affairs of the Iberian country.

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune assured Saturday evening in an interview that Algeria was not going to interrupt its gas deliveries to Spain despite its ” anger “ about Madrid’s position on the Sahara, which supported the Moroccan autonomy plan, considering it the most serious, credible solution capable of establishing lasting peace in the region.

Algeria “will not renounce its commitment to supply Spain with gas, whatever the circumstances”, he assured. But as usual, the country quickly changed tack and opinion on the issue.

On Wednesday, the Algerian Ministry of Energy threatened to break the contract to supply gas to Spain (after having broken the contract with Morocco) if the latter were to deliver it “to a third destination”.

According to a press release from the Algerian Ministry of Energy and Mines, Minister Mohamed Arkab has been informed “this day (Wednesday) (…) by his Spanish counterpart, Mrs. Teresa Ribera, of Spain’s decision to authorize the operation, in reverse flow, of the Maghreb Europe Gas Pipeline” and that “this operation will take place today or tomorrow “.

Indeed, Spain and Morocco have decided to reuse the GME gas pipeline which was used to send Algerian gas to Spain through Morocco, in the opposite direction since Algeria unilaterally decided not to .

Madrid and Rabat did not hide their intention and Algiers already knew it too since there were several communications on this subject from Algeria which insisted with Spain (at the highest level of the State) that its gas is not resold in Morocco whatever the price.

Moreover, Amar Belani, the envoy for the Sahara file in Algeria, had commented on this option when it was only at the eventual stage and had sworn that “not a molecule of gas” Algerian was not going to be received in Morocco.

However, when Morocco announced its intention to enter officially and for the first time the international market for LNG, liquefied gas, it was made clear that it would not buy Algerian gas, and that its purchases would be facts on the international market.

The agreement between Morocco and Spain concerns the regasification of LNG purchased by Morocco on Spanish territory, then its return via the reverse direction of the GME to Morocco.

Any delivery of “Quantities of Algerian natural gas delivered to Spain, whose destination is none other than that provided for in the contracts, will be considered as a breach of contractual commitments, and consequently, could lead to the breach of the contract binding Sonatrach to its Spanish customers »warned the Algerian ministry to threaten Spain.

If Algeria persists in threatening Spain, it is not because of its unfounded accusations of a possible return of Algerian gas to Morocco, given that the authorities of the two countries concerned have clearly explained that their agreement does not would not concern Algerian gas.

In reality, this reaction of anger and threat from Algeria amounts to the “slap” that Spain inflicted on the Algerian President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune who allowed himself to interfere in the internal affairs of the Iberian country. It is only a reaction of misplaced presidential ego.

The Algerian head of state allowed himself to comment at his ease, and sharply criticize Spain’s decision to support the solution to the dispute over the Sahara, proposed by Morocco. The head of Spanish diplomacy replied that it was a decision “sovereign” from Spain and that he only remembered what Tebboune said, only the assurance of gas delivery.

In addition, the Spanish official further added that this decision was perfectly in line with ” international law “inflicting a disappointment on the Algerian president who had denounced a decision contrary to international law and had called on Spain to ” see again “ his position.

The reaction of the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Juan Manuel Albares, caused a tidal wave in Algeria which did not expect such a reaction. Indeed, the Algerian president has a habit of attacking Morocco and interfering in its internal affairs, in particular the Sahara issue, but he is not used to receiving a response to his provocations.

Algiers immediately reacted to Mr. Albares’ statement by denouncing comments ” derogatory, offensive and unacceptable (which) will certainly not contribute to a rapid return to normalcy in bilateral relations”, according to statements by Amar Belani.

Spain, which understood that Algeria was looking for escalation and wanted a reason to provoke a crisis and break the gas contract, did not want to play the game of Algiers.

On Wednesday, the minister indicated before the Iberian Parliament his commitment to Algeria and the Algerian government and to reiterate Spain’s will ” to have the best relations with them” and add “that this is not incompatible with having good relations with Morocco”.