Morocco’s king invites Algerian president to Rabat for ‘dialogue’

Algiers, Nov 2 (EFE).- King Mohammed VI has invited Algerian president Abdelmadjid Tebboune to Morocco for “dialogue,” Moroccan foreign minister Nasser Bourita told reporters on Wednesday.

Last year, Algeria cut diplomatic ties with Morocco following a dispute mainly revolving around Western Sahara.

Rabat claims sovereignty over large parts of the territory, while Algiers supports the Polisario movement, which is fighting for its independence.

“His Majesty has instructed us to tell the Algerian authorities that there is an open invitation to his excellency the president (of Algeria) to come to Morocco and have a dialogue with the necessary preparations to guarantee its success,” Bourita said.

The Moroccan king was formally invited to an ongoing two-day Arab League summit in the Algerian capital but he decided not to attend because “there were preparations for a high-level meeting but they never received a confirmation,” according to Bourita.

“We have been here (in Algiers) for three days and we have addressed each other several times through the channels of the (Arab League) summit without setting up a high-level bilateral meeting,” he explained.

Bourita stressed that the king has reached out to Algiers on several occasions since the ties were severed in August 2021.

“Unfortunately, we have not received any response to these real initiatives of bilateral dialogue,” he said.

“The invitation is genuine so that what could not have taken place in Algiers due to the lack of communication, or other reasons, we can bring it to safe harbor, if Algiers wishes, through the king’s invitation,” said Bourita. EFE

lfp/smq/jt