Spain defends that its position on the Sahara is within the framework of the UN

Madrid, 22 Mar The Government of Spain defends that its change of position on Western Sahara in favor of the Moroccan proposal, to make the former Spanish colony an autonomous region within Morocco, complies with UN resolutions. The shift, much questioned in the country even by the partners in the coalition government, is “a politically acceptable solution” that is “within the framework of the United Nations,” Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares argued on Tuesday. His arguments before the Spanish Parliament were strongly refuted not only by the opposition, but even parliamentarians of his partner in the Executive expressed their rejection by showing Saharawi symbols while others carried banners for a “free Sahara”. ASK THE PRESIDENT FOR EXPLANATIONS The president of the executive, the socialist Pedro Sánchez, must give explanations, they demand from the opposition, which demands that Western Sahara be a matter of state that does not depend on the “unilateral” decision of a Government. Even his partner, the leftist formation Unidas Podemos, has reproached the president for the “opacity” with which he decided to change Spain's stance in a conflict that lasted almost half a century. Sánchez plans to offer them this Wednesday in a regular session of Parliament, according to the Government. Meanwhile, the head of Foreign Affairs defends that with this turn, since until now Spain was in line with the United Nations to consult the Saharawi people about their future, it seeks to “unravel” a conflict that lasts 46 years, with a position that complies with UN resolutions, the last of which was in October 2021. That resolution, 2062, is committed to a solution “a realistic, viable, lasting, acceptable solution to the parties”, to a conflict dating back to 1975 in a territory that is the only one in Africa to resolve its decolonization. For years now, UN resolutions no longer speak of a “referendum” or “self-determination consultation”, something that Morocco denies, but they have not endorsed the Moroccan stance of autonomy, which was formally supported by Spain last Friday, as did others such as France, a traditional partner of Morocco, or the United States before. Germany. The High Representative for EU foreign policy, Josep Borrell, also explained yesterday that Spain's position does not contradict that of the European Union on this matter. SPAIN, MOROCCO AND ALGERIA This change of position is being questioned by Algeria, the main defender of the Saharawi independence group Frente Polisario, and in fact last Saturday Algiers withdrew its ambassador to Madrid, Said Musi, and criticized Spain for not consulting or even informing him. The Spanish government spokeswoman, the socialist Isabel Rodríguez, stressed on Tuesday that this new stance on the Sahara “has to do with relations between Spain and Morocco”, not “with other countries” such as Algeria, the main gas supplier for Spain. This shift allows “a new framework for relations with Morocco” after almost a year of diplomatic tensions, he said. Diplomatic tensions were triggered by the arrival in Spain in April 2021 of the Saharawi independence leader of the Frente Polisario, Brahim Gali, to receive assistance in a hospital, who returned to Algeria in June. Last Sunday, the Moroccan ambassador, Karima Benyaich, returned to Madrid, who had remained in her country since that crisis began. Pedro Sánchez plans to visit Ceuta and Melilla this Wednesday, Spanish cities in North Africa bordering Morocco, whose local authorities have welcomed the Government's position on whether it implies respect for “territorial integrity” in the face of the Moroccan claim to sovereignty over both. The border in both cities with Morocco has not been opened for nearly two years since it was closed at the start of the covid-19 pandemic and according to the Spanish Government it will reopen when sanitary conditions permit, by common agreement between the two countries. The dispute in Western Sahara began in 1975 when Morocco annexed the territory, taking advantage of a decolonization process initiated by Spain and the fragility of Madrid in the last moments of the dictatorship. The Frente Polisario unilaterally proclaimed the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in the Saharawi refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria, and declared war on Morocco. CHIEF nac/lar/ie (photo) (video)