• The OIC, Arab League and Saudi Arabia have called for dialogue to resolve arguments between the two countries

Mohammed Abu Zaid

CAIRO: Egypt has called on Algeria and Morocco to use diplomatic solutions and dialogue in order to resolve their diplomatic rift.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry made the appeal in phone calls to his Algerian and Moroccan counterparts, Ramtane Lamamra and Nasser Bourita, on Friday.

Ahmed Hafez, spokesman for the Egyptian foreign ministry, said that Shoukry discussed recent developments between the two countries and “ways to move forward by overcoming these circumstances.”

On Wednesday, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Arab League and Saudi Arabia called for dialogue to resolve arguments between the two North African rivals.

Algeria said on Tuesday that it had cut diplomatic relations with Morocco because of “hostile actions,” following months of resurgent tensions.

Morocco called the decision “completely unjustified,” and said that it was based on “false, even absurd pretexts.”

In response, it announced on Friday that it would close its embassy in Algiers. It said that the ambassador and all staff would be repatriated to Rabat.

Shoukry urged diplomatic solutions and dialogue in the interest of promoting joint Arab action, in which “the two brotherly countries play a pivotal role.”

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI previously called on Algeria to “build a bilateral relationship based on trust and good neighborliness, because the current situation of these relations is not in the interest of their peoples, and is not acceptable to many countries.”