Algeria, Spain deny disputes over maritime borders

Algeria and Spain yesterday denied claims that they are in dispute over their maritime borders; with Algiers stressing that any disagreement would be resolved through negations, Algerian media reported.

This came during a joint press conference held by the Algerian Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum and his Spanish counterpart Arancha Gonzalez Laya.

“Algeria is a peaceful country and everything that has been reported about the issues between Algeria and Spain over the demarcation of the maritime border is a lie,” Echorouk Online reported Boukadoum saying.

Regarding Algeria’s decision to demarcate its maritime borders two years ago, Boukadoum said that a presidential decree issued in 2018 urged solving all maritime border problems with all countries through negotiations.

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The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Boukadoum explained, “gives the right for states to draw borders to 200 nautical miles, and if the distance is narrower, the countries resolve any issues through negotiations.”

“I say and repeat, with France, Spain and Italy regarding maritime borders that are subject to the law of the sea, there are areas that we may not agree on and this calls for mandatory negotiations based on the UN convention.”

For his part, Gonzalez Laya reiterated that Algeria and Spain are 100 per in agreement regarding the issue of borders, and negotiations will be held to resolve any disputes.