France Continues Defending Harkis, Algeria Remains Silent

File of Harkis and their families is discussed between Algeria and France through negotiations between the two countries on the review of the December 27, 1968 agreement on the movement of people, the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs said.

French Foreign Ministry confirmed that this file was put forward during the visit that led the former Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius, to Algeria on July 15 and 16, 2012. 

“This issue is still under discussion, in the hope that it will be included in the new article on the movement of people in the December 27, 1968 convention”.

French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said in a written response to a question by one of the “Republicans Party” MPs, Guy Teissier, that the Algerian authorities refused to enter some of the Harkis and their relatives to Algeria to visit their relatives.

Sources from the Quai d’ Orsay said: “In early November, the Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, Economy and Finance Minister, Bruno Le Maire visited Algeria and discussed the issue with the Algerian authorities, but the result was not disclosed after the talks.

French President, Emmanuel Macron, said during his recent visit to Algeria that the issue of the “Harkis” visit to their hometown was part of the files that were discussed with the Algerian officials, but did not provide the nature of the response that he received from the Algerian authorities, which confirms the large secrecy in handling this sensitive file.

As for the Algerian side, it has never dealt with this sensitive issue openly in the words of any of its officials, while the visit of this group, which is officially and publicly disliked, remains rejected or postponed, and the entry of some Harkis and their families to Algeria was refused, as they were deported from airports and ports.

French authorities often associate the issue of Harki’s visit to Algeria with the “Pieds Noirs” who want to retrieve properties, and the two files were often avoided by the Algerian party which refuses to make of them public opinion issues, in contrast to the French side, which did not hesitate to embarrass the Algerians whenever it had the opportunity.

French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius, asserted in his visit to Algeria in July 2012, that he asked the Algerian officials to enable the pieds noirs from retrieving the properties which they left in Algeria (…), but the the former Interior Minister, Dahou Ould Kablia, felt embarrassed and rushed to replying that the files that were discussed with French officials did not exceed dozens.