Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Local sources: Civilians, including children and women, were injured in the al-Maqous neighborhood of Sweida, in Syria, as a result of ongoing clashes
Israeli media outlet: Security incident reported in the Gaza Strip
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson: No new date or venue has been set for the meeting between Araghchi and Witkoff, and no negotiations will take place until the outcome is guaranteed
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed

Algeria is helping to 'diversify' Europe gas supplies: Macron

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 26 Aug 2022 16:02
  • 1 Shares
5 Min Read

Macron obviously can go from questioning Algeria's existence to wanting to "conjure up the past" really fast.

  • x
  • French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune (AFP)
    French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune (AFP)

Macron visited Algeria on Thursday hoping "to lay a foundation to rebuild and develop" a tense relationship with the North African nation, especially since ties between Paris and Algiers became particularly stormy last year when Macron questioned Algeria's existence as a nation before the French occupation and accused the government of fomenting "hatred toward France."

At the time, he projected a French superiority complex, "Was there an Algerian nation before French colonization?" and argued that there had been previous colonizations before the French one, citing the Ottoman Empire's colonization of Algeria.

However, today, Macron, during a visit to Africa's top gas exporter as part of his 3-day visit to the country, courted Algeria and said the African nation helped Europe diversify its energy supplies by pumping more gas to Italy.

Dismissing suggestions that Italy and France were competing for Algerian gas, Macron welcomed a deal Algeria signed last month to pump more gas to Italy, telling reporters it is "good for Italy, it's good for Europe and it improves the diversification of Europe."

European nations have been scrambling to reduce their reliance on Russian energy since the war in Ukraine six months ago.

Italy's Eni, US major Occidental, France's Total, and the Algerian group Sonatrach signed a $4 billion, 25-year oil and gas production-sharing contract last month that will provide Rome with "significant volumes of natural gas," Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said at the time.

An Algerian government source also said the North African country would increase gas exports to Italy by four billion cubic meters.

Italy buys the majority of its natural gas from abroad, with about 45% of its imports historically coming from Russia. Since February, it has sought to boost supplies from Algeria, which has a pipeline through which it can pump gas to Italy.

Algeria supplies around 11% of the natural gas consumed in Europe.

The ball is in Iran's court

On the nuclear deal talks, French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday claimed that the fate of a revived nuclear deal is now in Iran's hands, and an agreement will be "useful" even if it doesn't settle everything.

Related News

Legal troubles worsen for Le Pen as French far-right struggles: FT

France announces State of New Caledonia, except with a twist

When asked during a visit to Algeria about the chances of success in reviving the 2015 agreement, Macron boldly said, "Now the ball is in Iran's court." 

According to EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell, most countries that are part of discussions with Iran on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal say they agree with the bloc's latest proposal as all sides wait for the United States to respond after Tehran gave its opinion on the draft.

However, that same day, Israeli media cited a security source revealing that "the United States of America has relinquished all its demands to Iran." The source explains that "the assessment is that at this stage the crystallized agreement cannot be stopped," and that "Tehran got the dream deal."

Britain is 'a friend... whoever its leaders are'

President Macron also called Britain an ally, "whoever its leaders" was. His comments came in response to Liz Truss, anticipated to become UK PM, who said when asked if Macron was a friend or foe, "President Macron: friend or foe?.... The jury's out…”

“If I become Prime Minister, I'll judge him on deeds not words," she said.

"The British people, the United Kingdom, is a friendly, strong and allied nation, regardless of its leaders, and sometimes in spite of its leaders or the little mistakes, they may make in grandstanding," Macron told reporters. 

Truss currently leads former finance minister Rishi Sunak by wide margins in polls of the Tory grassroots set to choose their next leader, who will then become prime minister.  

Britain and France are allies at the heart of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) political and military alliance, but have differences on a number of issues, particularly after Britain's departure from the European Union.

Furthermore, the two countries also have contrasting approaches to the war in Ukraine.

During a press conference after visiting a cemetery in Algiers, Macron responded, "If we are not capable, between France and Britain, of saying whether we are a friend or enemy -- the term is not neutral -- we are heading towards serious problems."

He said, "It's never good to lose your bearings in life" and added that if he were asked the question, he wouldn't hesitate "for a second."

"The United Kingdom is a friend of France," Macron stated.

'Nuclear power must not be instrument of war in Ukraine'

In another context, French President Emmanuel Macron warned Friday against the use of civilian nuclear facilities as an instrument of war in Ukraine, where a Russian-controlled plant has been disconnected from the power grid.

"War in any case must not undermine the nuclear safety of the country, the region and all of us. Civil nuclear power must be fully protected," Macron said during a visit to Algeria.

  • France
  • UK
  • Algeria
  • Nuclear Deal
  • Iran

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS