Algeria refuses to restart its gas pipeline to Spain
The Amenas gas site in Algeria, January 16, 2018. © RYAD KRAMDI/AFP
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2 mins
It is an end of non-receipt that Algiers opposed to the American request to increase the transport of gas to Europe by reopening the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline which passes through Morocco, and which has been closed since December 2021 by decision of Algiers.
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This happened, according to Algerian media, during the visit of US Under-Secretary of State Windy Sherman to Algiers as part of a tour that took him to Rabat and Madrid.
Washington supports the Europeans in their search for alternatives to the Russian gas supplied to Europe at the level of 4%.
Algeria, which supplies the old continent with 11% of its gas needs, is reluctant to increase its supplies.
Algeria is in fact under pressure, not only from the Americans and Europeans to increase its supply of gas to Europe, but it also suffers from those coming from Russia, which opposes it.
Algiers finds itself heavily involved in the Russian-Ukrainian crisis without wanting to and therefore treats this file with extreme caution.
She fears displeasing the Kremlin and seeing her diplomatic relations with Moscow deteriorate.
No to Spain, but yes to Italy
His position is very delicate, proof of this is the backpedaling following the declarations, at the end of February, of the CEO of Sonatrach, a hydrocarbon giant.
He told the Algerian newspaper
Liberté
that his country is "
able to increase the
delivery of its gas to Europe
in the event of difficulties
".
Statements quickly denied.
According to Sonatrach, the words of its leader were "
manipulated and distorted
" by the daily against which a complaint was filed.
►
To read also
: Sonatrach reassures Spain and Italy, despite the crisis with Morocco
While Algeria is opposed to reopening the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline which passes through Morocco, it could increase its delivery to Italy by 10 billion m³ per year via the Transmed gas pipeline.
This gas pipeline
ceased to operate on October 31
when Algeria decided not to renew its contract with Morocco due to major disagreements over the thorny issue of Western Sahara.
►
To read also
: Rupture between Rabat and Algiers: Algeria announces that it could do without the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline
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