Ahmed Attaf loses himself between the sword and the cloak of Emir Abdelkader

For the head of Algerian diplomacy, there are a number of outstanding issues that are blocking preparations for President Tebboune's trip to Paris. These include issues "relating to memory, mobility, economic cooperation, French nuclear testing in the Algerian Sahara, and the symbolically important restitution of Emir Abdelkader's sword and burnous".

This is far from convincing, given that just a few months ago, the Algerian president was about to fly to Paris, only to be prevented from doing so at the last minute, for who knows what reason. 

Three days earlier, diplomats from the Elysée Palace and the Quai d'Orsay had travelled to Algiers to finalize the reception protocol and program for the visit scheduled for May 2. 

There was no mention of memory, mobility or economic cooperation, and certainly no mention of the return of Emir Abdelkader's sword and burnous. It's enough to make you fall head over heels.

It shows his grave ignorance of what's going on in his country. Need we remind him that Emir Abdelkader's sword was returned to the Algerian embassy in Paris on October 8, before the ambassador, Mr. Saïd Moussi, in turn handed it over two days later to Mme Soraya Mouloudji, the Minister of Culture (as seen in the image).

 The official Algerian press agency had covered the event at the time (see screenshot).

 The Algerian minister's statement was picked up by numerous French media outlets, without any verification of the assertion in question.
 
As far as memory is concerned, Tebboune and Macron have appointed experts to look into the matter. While Benjamin Stora, an Algerian-born French historian with a thorough command of his subject, had no difficulty whatsoever in presenting his copy for consideration by the Algerian side, the same could not be said of Abdelmadjid Chikhi, Tebboune's advisor, who has no connection whatsoever with history or research. 

Not only had he not written a single line, but he had refused to read and give his opinion on the French copy. 

To add insult to injury, this same Abdelmadjid Chikhi distinguished himself with a far-fetched story told to members of parliament about a... swan that had played a heroic role during the War of Liberation. Abdelmadjid Chikhi went so far as to claim the status of moudjahid (combatant) of the November 1954 revolution. The story provoked unparalleled hilarity on social networks. 

It wasn't long before he was dismissed for retirement.

Ahmed Attaf, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, should have sought other alibis to justify the perpetual postponement of Tebboune's visit to Paris. To invoke the restitution of Emir Abdelkader's sword and his burnous (the cape) to justify this postponement is somewhat grotesque.