Mali recalled its ambassador in Algeria after accusing it of interference in its internal affairs by meeting rebel leaders, officials said Friday, deepening diplomatic tensions between the two neighbors over efforts to end the armed rebellion in northern Mali, the American website ABC news reported.
Mali’s junta said it was withdrawing Ambassador Mahamane Amadou Maiga from Algeria “for consultation with immediate effect,” according to a letter from the Malian embassy to the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Earlier in the week, Mali summoned Algeria’s top diplomat “to express strong protest following recent unfriendly acts of the Algerian authorities under the guise of the peace process in Mali,” the government said in reference to the meetings.
“These acts are an interference in Mali’s internal affairs,” the Malian Information and Press Bureau said, urging Algeria “to prioritize dialogue with the Malian Authorities.”
Algeria in response summoned Mali’s top diplomat Thursday and urged the country to “join the efforts currently undertaken by Algeria to give (the agreement) new impetus,” according to a statement by its foreign affairs ministry.
It defended the meetings with the rebel leaders, adding that it “fit perfectly” into Algeria’s efforts to uphold the deal and help achieve peace in Mali.
The dispute between the two countries could further threaten peace efforts in Mali, where new clashes erupted between the military government and the Tuareg rebels in recent months.
MNA/PR
