Algeria said Thursday it considers as "unjustified" a decision by Morocco to recall its ambassador in response to comments by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika about disputed Western Sahara. "This is an unjustified decision, amounting to an unfortunate escalation based on spurious motives, and detrimental to the sovereignty of Algeria," a foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement sent to AFP. But despite its protest, Algiers said it would keep its diplomats in its North African neighbour, which on Wednesday branded comments by Bouteflika this week as "aggressive" and "provocative."