Algeria recalls Spain envoy over Western Sahara policy change

Authored by aljazeera.com and submitted by wolternova

On Friday, Spain said it backed a 2007 proposal by Morocco to offer Western Sahara autonomy under its sovereignty.

Algeria has recalled its ambassador from Madrid in protest at Spain’s decision to back a Moroccan autonomy plan for the disputed former Spanish colony of Western Sahara.

Morocco sees Western Sahara, with rich phosphate resources and access to lucrative Atlantic fishing waters, as an integral part of its territory.

A statement carried by Algeria’s official media on Saturday condemned the “abrupt about-turn” by Madrid, which had previously maintained neutrality in the decades-old conflict for the territory between Morocco and the Polisario Front independence movement.

On Friday, Spanish foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares backed a 2007 proposal by Morocco to offer Western Sahara autonomy under its sovereignty, describing it as the “most serious, realistic and credible basis” to end the long-running conflict.

Meanwhile, the Polisario Front movement has accused Spain of making a “grave error” after it changed its position.

The Algeria-backed Polisario separatists took up arms in the 1970s and have continued to demand an independence referendum on the basis of a 1991 deal that included a ceasefire.

Friday’s move sparked an angry response from the Polisario, which expressed “surprise”.

“The position expressed by the Spanish government totally contradicts international legitimacy,” the Polisario statement said.

The separatists called on political sides in Spain “to exert pressure on the Spanish government to correct this grave error”.

“The United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, the International Court of Justice, the European Court of Justice and all regional organisations do not recognise Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara,” the movement said.

Earlier this month, the United States reiterated its support for Morocco’s plan for autonomy in the Western Sahara.

“We continue to view Morocco’s autonomy plan as serious, credible and realistic,” US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said during a visit to Rabat.

In late 2020, the Trump administration recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara as a quid pro quo for the kingdom mending ties with Israel. The deal sparked renewed tensions with Algeria.

The Biden administration has not reversed Trump’s decision.

SchoolPsychStudentNE on March 21st, 2022 at 13:40 UTC »

What would be the pros/cons of recognizing Western Saharan independence?

wolternova on March 21st, 2022 at 13:05 UTC »

SS:

A few days ago, Algeria decided to recall its spanish envoy over the sudden change of heart of Spain, a major escalation of the conflict over Western Sahara. It follows major escalations of last year like the closure of the gaseoduct to Morocco and the medical aid given to a Polisario leader in Spain.

wolternova on March 21st, 2022 at 12:49 UTC »

So, it has been a few days since Spain expressed it's new posture over Moroccan Autonomy of Western Sahara, but there hasn't been any major talk on this sub.

A brief personal summary of the conflict: The conflict of Western Sahara has been a major deadlock in a stable relationship between Morocco, Algeria and Spain, and consequently the EU. Spain has maintained a quite neutral and distanced posture on the conflict, swinging between the demands of Algeria and Morocco. Recently, in a further escalation of events last year, Spain allowed a major Polisario leader to get medical help under discretion, which angered the Moroccan side. Furthermore, Algeria closed its gaseoduct to Morocco, asking Spain not to share the gas it gets through the other gaseoduct, which goes directly to the Spanish mainland. But Spain did not comply entirely, sharing part of its gas supply to Morocco, claiming it wasn't the same gas it got from Algeria. In this situation, Morocco has mantained a firm posture over its claims in Western Sahara. It has asked Spain to act as a real partner and not to support the Polisario terrorists. It had, thus, gained a more reliable partner in arms, the USA, Morocco accepting Israel, while the US accepted Moroccan autonomy of Western Sahara. That had changed the geopolitical aspect of the region quite a lot by itself, and the new change of heart of Spain complicates it further.

Spain and Europe need gas more than anything right now, and further escalating the conflict involving Algeria seems really risky. Algeria, though, hasn't been as angered as I thought it would be. Besides recalling its envoy, I thought there would be more restriction under how Spain would be getting gas from Algeria, but maybe that would be too much of a payoff for Algeria, and maybe it's just maintaining a more neutral stance this time? If so, it would seem like the conflict could just resolve on it's own, by giving recognition to Moroccan autonomy of the region. It just seems to good for every side except the saharawis who want an independent nation. Has the Polisario been backstabbed??