In contrast to its «observer status» in Western Sahara, Algeria is once again expressing its anger. On Saturday, October 12, the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned ambassadors from European states to explain their countries' support for the partnership with Morocco, following the European Union Court of Justice (CJEU) ruling in favor of the Polisario on October 4. This announcement was made by a «well-informed source» in the Attaf department, in confidence to APS, as reported by the Algerian media. The official press agency did not provide the exact number of EU diplomats summoned. It is worth noting that the Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita revealed on Tuesday, October 8, in Rabat that «19 EU countries» had lent their support to the kingdom. The same Algerian diplomatic source emphasized that the ambassadors summoned «affirmed that the statements in question in no way signify their opposition to the decisions adopted by the Court or their willingness to disregard them in the future». He added that «among these ambassadors, some were surprised by the content of the declaration published by the European Commission, a declaration which prioritized the 'law of contracts' over the rulings handed down by Europe's highest judicial body». This summons comes in the wake of statements by the Algerian Foreign Minister. «We say that contracts must be respected 'Pacta Sunt Servanda,' but the European Union has just told us that the law of contracts takes precedence over 'Jus Cogens' (binding law), even over the rulings of Europe's highest court», he denounced. «The most serious thing is that all these fabrications are justified by strategic relations with the Kingdom of Morocco, common interests with that country, and growing ambitions to seize the riches of Western Sahara», declared Ahmed Attaf this week.
