Italy’s Official News Agency Calls Colonna’ Statements a ‘Slippage’ in Diplomatic Relations
BY: Hana Saada
ALGIERS- Italy’s official news agency, Nova, recently criticized French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna for her remarks regarding the Algerian national anthem. The agency labeled her statements as a “slippage” and highlighted the strained diplomatic relations between Italy and France.
“The diplomatic freeze with France continues, exacerbated by the latest slippage by Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, who declared that the Algerian national anthem “may appear out of time”, wrote the Italian agency.
The European Tour and Diplomatic Tensions
The article primarily focuses on the European tour undertaken by Algerian Minister for Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad, Ahmed Attaf, which included stops in Rome, Serbia, and Germany. Notably absent from Attaf’s itinerary was France, emphasizing the diplomatic freeze between the two nations.
Catherine Colonna’s Controversial Remarks
The article highlights Catherine Colonna’s remarks that sparked the recent controversy. Colonna stated that the Algerian national anthem “may appear out of time,” implying a certain degree of irrelevance or outdatedness. Nova agency, the official news agency of Italy, characterized this statement as a “slippage,” suggesting that it was a misstep in diplomatic conduct.
Abdelaziz Rahabi, a diplomat and former Minister of Communication, criticized Colonna’ statements, describing them as “shocking, inappropriate, and unacceptable”. Rahabi highlighted the contradiction in Colonna’s desire for better relations with Algeria while questioning Algeria’ sovereign decision.
Rahabi expressed his regret that a member of the French government contributed to the ongoing debate in France by making an inappropriate statement, particularly in a context where right-wing parties and individuals were using Algeria as a focal point in the internal discussion on immigration issues.
He added that these hostile parties had been attempting to involve Algeria in the consequences of the war in Europe and undermine its foreign policy decisions.
The Algerian President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, recently signed a decree amending and completing Decree No. 45-86, which outlines the conditions for the performance of the national anthem. While the section that mentions France by name was never completely removed from the anthem, the changes made in 1986 resulted in two versions of the anthem: a shorter one and a complete version. Some French media outlets inaccurately reported that the section was being “replayed.”
