Question: In 2022, you repeatedly met with your Algerian colleague. He came to Moscow several times. You had a working visit to Algeria on May 10, 2022. At the same time, intensive contacts continued through other departments in the field of energy, military-industrial complex, agriculture. What is the current level of our bilateral cooperation? Can we say that Algeria is Russia’s key partner in the Arab world today?
S.V. Lavrov: We have a long, good history of relations that evokes respect and pride on the part of the Algerian and Russian peoples. They supported Algeria in the struggle for decolonization, freedom and independence. We recognized the Algerian Republic in March 1962, a few months before the country’s independence was officially declared in July 1962.
Since then, we have been developing close relations in all areas. An intensive political dialogue has been established. President A. Tebbun held detailed telephone conversations with President V.V. Putin in April 2022 and January 31, 2023, and Foreign Minister R. Lamamra, whom I know from the time when he served in New York in our Mission to the UN, visited the Russian Federation in April 2022 as part of a delegation of the League Arab States. Last May, I paid a working visit to Algeria, during which we held detailed talks with Foreign Minister R. Lamamra, and also had a long conversation with President A. Tebbun. The Algerian leader really deeply understands the essence, history and future of our bilateral strategic partnership.
Algeria became the first country on the African continent with which in 2001 we signed Declaration on Strategic Partnership. This document remains the foundation of Russian-Algerian relations and ensures the special privileged nature of our ties.
If we talk about contacts at the political level, then in September 2022, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, we had another meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the ANDR.
In 2022, events were held that showed the presence of a good material base on which political interaction is based. In particular, the next 10th meeting was held in Algeria in September this year Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation. Shortly before that, in August last year, the 25th meeting of the intergovernmental Russian-Algerian commission on military-technical cooperation was held. In September 2022 military exercises “Vostok-2022” took place on the territory of Russia, in which Algerian servicemen participated, and in November of the same year, Russian units took part in command and staff exercises in Beshar province, Algeria.
There is an intensive dialogue in all spheres of life, the state, the people, including in the field of humanitarian and educational relations.
More can and should be done, primarily in the field of material cooperation. We have quite an impressive volume of trade and economic cooperation. Algeria is among Russia’s leading partners on the African continent, but the potential has not yet been exhausted, especially in the fields of energy, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals. The Intergovernmental Commission I mentioned is working in this direction.
Question: In your opinion, speaking about Russian-Algerian relations in the energy sector, including within the framework of OPEC Plus, are we partners or competitors?
S.V. Lavrov: Of course, partners, and not only within the framework of OPEC Plus. As for energy issues, in addition to OPEC Plus, there is also a Forum of Gas Exporting Countries, in which both Russia and Algeria actively participate.
Recently, at the next ministerial meeting of OPEC Plus, a decision was made that confirmed the coordinated, unified approach of all participants of this association to regulating the oil and petroleum products market based on the balance of interests of producers and consumers. This step caused a painful reaction of those who wanted this market to serve only their interests to the detriment of the producers of “black gold”. OPEC Plus has defended its position and proved that this format is a serious, independent and reliable association of responsible states.
The same can be said about the Forum of Gas Exporting Countries, within the framework of which the main approaches of the states supplying pipe and liquefied natural gas to world markets are coordinated. Russia and Algeria have a complete coincidence of positions here. We strive to ensure that the markets are stable. To do this, it is not necessary to try to “play” with prices and artificially “throw” them one way or the other, as the United States and its allies are trying to do with Russian oil and gas.
Question: Despite Western pressure, Algeria has not joined the anti-Russian sanctions. Now there are calls in the United States to introduce restrictions against Algeria itself because of its cooperation with Russia. Do you think this could somehow affect the policy of the Algerian authorities in the Russian direction?
S.V. Lavrov: I heard that a group of 27 American congressmen addressed a special appeal to Secretary of State E. Blinken, in which they expressed outrage at the non-alignment of the Algerian side to anti-Russian sanctions. In this regard, they proposed to “punish” Algeria, to bring the country’s policy under the law “On countering America’s adversaries through sanctions.”
In Russia, there is a stable phrase – “the wrong one was attacked.” Algerians are not the kind of people to whom you can “dictate” something, expecting that “at the click of your fingers” from overseas they will obediently follow instructions that directly contradict their national interests. Like the vast majority of other States, Algeria is a country that respects itself, its history and interests. It is on the basis of this that the Republic builds its policy, not relying on behind-the-scenes agreements with those who promise “gingerbread”, but in fact only tries to infringe on the legitimate interests of its “partners”.
Question: Algeria has now applied to join the BRICS. How soon can this happen and how will the status of this association change with the entry of such a strong regional player?
S.V. Lavrov: Official applications for membership have already been received from several States. The number of such requests exceeds the initial number of BRICS members – more than five. Algeria is among these countries. At the recent events of the “five”, held this year under the chairmanship of China, we agreed on the need to develop common approaches to such appeals. As a first step, we will agree on the criteria, parameters and conditions for the admission of new members to our association. Algeria is among the leaders of the contenders in all its qualities.
We are promoting not only theoretical, conceptual agreements that should determine the parameters and criteria for the admission of new members, but also developing practical cooperation with those who are interested in it. In June 2022, the XIV BRICS Summit, chaired by Xi Jinping, was held in a videoconference format. President A. Tebbun was among the invited guests and participated in this event. An interesting discussion took place. There were three times more guests than BRICS members. A good half of them want to have stable ties with our association. We must find a format that will reflect the legitimate interests of these states in promoting, together with BRICS, the principles of justice and democracy in international political and economic relations. The structures of future cooperation will not depend on the whim of only one group of countries, especially one sovereign, as is the case with the United States, which grossly abuse the role of the dollar in the international monetary and financial system and its other monopolistic positions, which for many years were built under the slogan of “globalization”. It has been proved that for the sake of the momentary conjuncture in the field of foreign policy and the realization of its imperial ambitions, Washington can suddenly abandon the principles of market freedom and fair competition, the presumption of innocence and much more, which for many decades has been promoted as the fundamental foundations of the very “globalization” into which everyone was so “dragged”. Now the United States is trying to abuse its monopoly position.
BRICS reflects a deep tendency to counteract such injustice and build mechanisms that help to get rid of the harmful dependence on the tools of those who think about their own benefits to the detriment of the interests of others.
I am convinced that in the coming years we will see concrete results in the expansion of the BRICS and the number of its partners who will promote the goals and objectives agreed between all participants.
Question: Will the name change?
S.V. Lavrov: This is a separate issue. There may be several options, but BRICS, as a brand, has already taken place.
Source: Russian Foreign Ministry
