Maraaz 
French President Emmanuel Macron, in a telephone conversation with his Algerian counterpart Abdulmecid Tebbun, who is being treated in Germany, expressed his desire to “work together on the common past and interests of the two countries”.
According to the written statement made by the Presidency of Algeria, Macron called his Algerian counterpart last night to convey his wishes to get well soon to Tabbun, who has a leg surgery in Germany and is currently undergoing a new type of coronavirus (Kovid-19) treatment here.
According to the statement, Macron shared his desire to work together with Tabbun on the topics “regional issues that concern the two countries, common interests in the field of economy and common history”.
On the other hand, it was stated that Tebbun also told his French interlocutor that he would deal with these issues when he returned to his country after completing his treatment.
The Algerian Presidency also announced that Tabbun will return to his country in a few days, without giving an exact date.
Colonial file is on the agenda between the two countries
President Emmanuel Macron’s report on the colonial period in Algeria, which started in 1830 and ended in 1966, prepared by the French historian Benjamin Stora, brought the colonial past to the agenda, the tension point between the two countries.
In the report, Macron was recommended to establish a “truth commission” to shed light on the past between the two countries.
According to the statement made by Elysee, Macron stated that he wanted to continue the studies on this subject and that he would take some initiatives in the light of this report.
On the other hand, it was stated in the news in the French press that Macron would not apologize to Algeria for the past colonial activities of his country.
Algerian side awaiting official apology yet quiet
Since Tabbun, the head of state in Algeria, has not returned to his country, no official response has yet been received to the report.
However, in the news in the country’s press and in the comments of politicians, the claim that France would avoid an official apology was met with strong reaction.
In Algerian politics and civil society, France’s formal confrontation with its colonial history and its apology came to the fore as a prerequisite.
Algeria, which constitutes the most recent and bloodiest example of the colonial history of France in the African continent, started the struggle for independence in 1954.
While Algeria was accepted as one of the countries that paid the highest price for this cause with its 8-year struggle for independence, the great suffering was written in history as the “black stain” left by France while withdrawing from Africa.
Approximately 1.5 million Algerians lost their lives and millions of people were displaced in the country’s inhumane war.
According to the French historian, in his report, France conducted 17 separate nuclear tests on Algerian soil, and the mines and explosives laid by the French forces on these lands cost the lives of thousands of Algerians.
