French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday he hoped that relations with Algeria would strengthen after a row over visas and controversial comments by Paris against Algiers.
"My wish is for a calming down because I think it's better to talk and to make progress," Macron told the France Inter broadcaster, adding that his relations with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune were "truly cordial."
Algeria over the weekend recalled its ambassador from Paris and banned French military planes from its airspace, which France regularly uses to reach its forces battling extremists in the Sahel region. That came after a bitter row over visas, followed by media reports that Macron had told descendants of Algeria's war of independence that the North African country was ruled by a "political-military system" that had "totally re-written" its history.
Macron blamed the country for hatred against France. He also disputed the existence of the Algerian nation before the arrival of French colonization in 1830, asking the question, “Was there an Algerian nation before French colonization?”
On Saturday Algeria denounced the French leader's controversial remarks and accused him of hate speech. An Algerian Presidency broadcast on state television said, “Macron’s statements constitute an unacceptable attack on the memory of 5.63 million martyrs who made the supreme sacrifice, through courageous resistance against French colonization between 1830-1962."
It said the numerous colonial crimes committed by France were genocide against the Algerian people and noted statements attributed to Macron were not officially denied.
“The countless crimes of colonial France and the genocide against the Algerian people – which is not recognized by France – cannot be the object of offensive maneuvers,” the statement continued.
The presidency noted that, “Algeria categorically rejects any interference in its internal affairs as contained in its statements and President Abdelmedjid Tebboune has decided to immediately recall, for consultation, the Algerian ambassador to France, Mohamed Antar Daoud.”
Algiers was also angered last week after France said it would sharply reduce the number of visas it grants to citizens of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Paris said the decision had been made necessary by the former colonies' failure to do enough to allow illegal migrants in France to be returned.
The latest row came two weeks after Macron apologized on behalf of his country for abandoning Algerians who fought alongside France in their country's war of independence. In 2018, Macron admitted that France had created a "system" that facilitated torture during the war.
