Algiers — The Algerian government has decided to withdraw its ambassador to the French Republic, with immediate effect, and the diplomatic representation to France is now the responsibility of the chargé d'affaires, following France's recognition of Morocco's "autonomy plan" as the "only basis" for resolving the Western Sahara conflict as part of the Morocco's alleged sovereignty, the ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad said Tuesday in a statement.

"The French government ended up giving its frank and categorical support to the colonial fact in Western Sahara. This step, which no other French government before it deems it appropriate to take, the current Government took it in a very light-hearted and casual manner, without lucidly measuring all the potential repercussions," the statement said.

"By recognizing Morocco's autonomy plan as the only basis for resolving the conflict in Western Sahara, as part of the Morocco's alleged sovereignty, the French government tramples on the international legality, supports the denial of Saharawi people's right to self-determination, stands out from all the patient and persevering efforts made by the United Nations to complete the decolonisation of Western Sahara Occidental and shows an abdication of responsibility, which it must assume in all circumstances as a member country of the UN Security Council."

As a result, "the Algerian government has decided to withdraw its ambassador to the French Republic with immediate effect. The Algerian diplomatic representation to France is now the responsibility of the chargé d'affaires," the statement said.