Algeria condemns ‘unconstitutional’ ascent to power

Algeria’s Minister of State and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ramtane Lamamra, said on Friday that his country condemns any “unconstitutional” ascent to power, Quds Press has reported.

“Condemnation of coups and any unconstitutional ascent to power is a principle that Algiers has adopted,” explained the minister, “and it is a policy applied to all countries.”

Replying to a question regarding the failed coup attempt in Turkey, Lamamra said that his country reinforced this principle during the African summit held 1999. “Algiers is the creator of this principle and applied it forcefully in Africa,” he insisted.

Lamamra seems to have forgotten that Egyptian President Abdul-Fattah Al-Sisi, who came to power via a brutal military coup against the first democratically-elected Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, chose Algeria for his first post-coup overseas trip. He was welcomed warmly by government ministers in Algiers, including Lamamra.

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika sent a letter to his Turkish counterpart telling him that his country condemns the failed coup attempt and renews its support and solidarity with Turkey during this “hard time”. The Algerian foreign ministry also issued a statement rejecting and condemning the failed coup.