The Algerian government has threatened Spain with breaking the gas supply contract between the two countries if the Madrid government headed by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez uses the Maghreb gas pipeline to deliver Algerian gas to Morocco.
The notice has come in the form of a statement broadcast by the Algerian state news agency and state television.
The Minister of Energy of the African country, Mohamed Arkab, said that it has learned through an email sent by the Spanish Vice President of Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, that Spain will reopen the Maghreb gas pipeline in the opposite direction in the next few hours, that is, to pump gas to Morocco.
And the Algerian government has warned that "any transport of Algerian natural gas delivered to Spain, whose destination is none other than that provided for in the contracts, will be considered as breach of contractual commitments, and consequently, could lead to breach of contract that links Sonatrach with its Spanish clients."
Last February, the Algiers government already warned Spain that it would not consent to sending "not one molecule" of its gas to its neighbor, which is also its main competitor in North Africa. Morocco and Algeria are also at odds over the Western Sahara conflict.
Liquefied Gas Natural
Spanish government sources have told reporters that Morocco has asked for support to guarantee its energy security on the basis of trade relations and Spain has responded to the request.
However, Madrid points out that the gas that will be sent to Morocco will not come from Algeria, but will be Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) purchased on international markets, unloaded at a Spanish regasification plant and then sent by pipeline.
