Algeria Demands Immediate Expulsion of French Personnel Appointed in Violation of Procedures
The Algerian authorities summoned the chargé d’affaires of the French Embassy in Algeria on Sunday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, demanding the immediate expulsion of all French personnel who were appointed in violation of the established procedures, Algeria Press Service (APS) reported, citing informed sources.
The summons was prompted by serious and repeated violations by the French side, specifically blatant breaches of the established and recognized procedures governing the appointment of personnel to French diplomatic and consular missions accredited in Algeria, the source said.
“Recently, the competent authorities observed the appointment of at least fifteen French personnel to undertake diplomatic or consular duties on Algerian territory, without the necessary procedures having been followed—namely, prior official notification or a request for accreditation—as required by relevant international conventions and protocols,” APS said, adding that, “These employees, who previously held mission passports, have been granted diplomatic passports to facilitate their entry into Algeria. It is also worth noting that the same list included two employees from the French Ministry of the Interior, who were intended to perform part of the duties of those recently declared persona non grata.”
These irregular practices took place at a time when bilateral relations were encountering other obstacles. On one hand, there was a repeated refusal to grant entry to holders of Algerian diplomatic passports into French territory. On the other hand, the accreditation process for newly appointed Algerian Consuls General in Paris and Marseille, along with seven other consuls, has been stalled, with their accreditation still pending for over five months, according to APS.
Based on the foregoing, the Algerian authorities have called for the immediate expulsion of all French personnel appointed under these irregular circumstances, demanding their prompt return to their country of origin.
