ALGIERS —
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited gas-producing ally Algeria for
talks Tuesday as Europe jockeys to secure alternative energy supplies in light
of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
اضافة اعلان
Algeria is a major
gas supplier to Europe, providing 11 percent of its imports, compared with 47
percent from
Russia.
Algiers abstained
when the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution in March
demanding Russia immediately withdraw from Ukraine.
“We very much
appreciate Algeria’s considered, objective and balanced position on the
Ukrainian question,” Lavrov told journalists after meeting his counterpart
Ramtane Lamamra and President
Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
Italy, Spain, and
other European Union member countries have looked to Algeria as they seek to
cut their dependence on Russian oil and gas.
But Algeria —
anxious to consolidate its longstanding alliance with Russia — has repeatedly
stressed that it lacks the capacity to meet such demand in the short-term.
Asked about
Algeria’s gas deliveries, Lavrov said that
Russia, Algeria, and other gas
exporters “believe we should respect deals that have already been reached”.
Moscow’s top
diplomat said trade between the two countries had hit $3 billion last year
despite the coronavirus pandemic.
“Many Russian
companies are interested in carrying out joint ventures with Algerian
companies” particularly in energy and pharmaceuticals, he said.
Lavrov added that
the two sides had discussed “bolstering military and technical cooperation”.
His visit is the
first since January 2019 and comes as the two countries mark the 60th
anniversary of their establishment of diplomatic relations.
Lavrov also laid a
wreath at a memorial to fighters killed during Algeria’s war for independence
from
France, according to state media.
Asked about a
suggestion by the EU’s top diplomat that frozen Russian foreign exchange
reserves could be seized to pay for Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, Lavrov
decried “a theft that they’re not even trying to hide”.
Josep Borrell had
made the suggestion in an interview with the Financial Times published on
Monday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held telephone talks with his Algerian counterpart last month on
“coordination within OPEC+ as well the situation in Ukraine”, Russia’s TASS
news agency said.
OPEC+ is a forum that
brings together the
OPEC oil cartel with allied producers led by Russia in
managing output and prices.
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