Spain and Morocco near end to diplomatic row over disputed Western Sahara
March 19, 2022, 1:26 pm

Spain and Morocco near end to diplomatic row over disputed Western Sahara

Western Sahara in Morocco (File photo: Pixabay)

The Euronews reported, citing media outlets, Morocco and Spain have moved closer to resolving a decades-long dispute over Western Sahara.

Spain's Prime Minister stated that a proposed autonomous region under Rabat control is the "most serious, realistic and credible” solution, according to Morocco’s royal palace.

In a letter to Morrocan King Mohammed VI, Pedro Sánchez recognised “the importance of the Sahara issue for Morocco”.

The royal palace said in a statement on Friday: “Spain considers the autonomy initiative presented by Morocco in 2007, as the basis, the most serious, realistic and credible, for resolving the dispute."

Western Sahara -- a vast, disputed territory in northwestern Africa -- has long been a source of tensions between Madrid and Rabat.

Morocco has fought a conflict against Sahrawi independence fighters of the Polisario Front for decades, but Spain is still considered the colonial administrative power of Western Sahara since it abandoned the territory in 1975.

Madrid has long argued that a United Nations-sponsored referendum should settle the territory’s decolonisation.

Meanwhile, the Algeria-backed independence movement has called for a referendum on becoming a sovereign state.

Morocco cuts contacts with German embassy over stance on Western Sahara dispute

The move towards autonomy is a departure from Spain’s previous position that Morocco’s grip on Western Sahara was an occupation.

"Today, we are starting a new stage in our relationship with Morocco, based on mutual respect, respect for agreements, the absence of unilateral actions and transparency and permanent communication," the Spanish government said on Friday.

PM Sánchez and Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares are expected to visit Morocco amid improved relations.

UN chief hopes to maintain ‘momentum’ in Western Sahara talks

In April last year, Morocco was angered after Spain admitted the Polisario Front leader into their country for COVID-19 treatment.

Rabat was then accused of relaxing its border controls, allowing at least 8,000 migrants to enter the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.

Source: euronews

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.