Is it a shift in the Algerian policy ?

Is it a shift in the Algerian policy on the Western Sahara
issue?


BY : Terry batcher

The observers who are following closely the Sahara issue   have
expressed their surprise to the content of the recent letter sent by
the Algerian president bouteflika to the leader of Polisario front or
the president of the so-called sahraoui state following the end of
Ramadan and the celebration of  Al - Aid

The content of a such a short letter is seen by observers as a
change of tactics or possibly a strategy of the Algerian president, I
fact this is almost the first time that the Algerian president avoided
to mention terms and sentences such as: the right of Sahraoui people
for a self-determination, the western Sahara colonized by Morocco, the
Algerian position to support the United Nations attempts to decolonize
Western Sahara.

Such a substantial change in the spirit of the short letter of Mr
Bouteflika has created an argument within observers and even policy
makers in the North African countries.    Although it is not advisable
to come to any conclusion whether Algeria is about to change its
foreign policy towards the Sahara conflict or not, it is worth
mentioning  that Algeria was and still is under a lot of pressure from
the international community to moderate its position and pave the way
to the UN security council , and the UN general secretary’s envoy to
the area to create a positive atmosphere aiming at searching a
political settlement based in principle on the Moroccan proposal to
grant sahraouis a substantial autonomy . This pressure comes as result
of the UN officials’ decision to give a political solution a chance,
as the war and different attempts to organize referenda have failed
for various reasons.

Even if the idea of autonomy is not new, Morocco proposed during 2007
a project for
a substantial autonomy of Western Sahara. The project consists of
giving Western Sahara
a Large autonomy within Moroccan sovereignty. Sahraouis are expected
to be offered a
Parliament with power over local policies in terms of management and
decision in the Sahara region; cabinet ministries, and their own
judiciary, but the Moroccan flag would fly over the territory, the
currency and stamps would remain Moroccans. The plan of a substantial
autonomy transfers competences and creates local institutions
legislative and executive within the framework of Moroccan
sovereignty .Again autonomy is seen by experts in international law as
a very advanced form of self determination.

It becomes obvious that the international community wants to see the
end of this conflict very soon , throughout the last three decades or
so Polisario front lead a war against the Moroccan army which led to a
ceasefire, and Polisario gained nothing out of this guerrilla war,
then the UN former envoy  James baker came up with two suggestions to
organize referendum which faced a refusal by Algeria , Polisario and
even Morocco , this failure led to the resignation of the American
diplomat , and the conclusion that such referendum is difficult to
organize if not impossible .
Although both Algeria and Polisario  front refused the Moroccan
proposal it was in no doubt supported by a large number of countries
all over the world, among others the USA ,France, and Spain which
openly congratulated Morocco for  proposing  and submitting a
courageous and  project entitled "Moroccan initiative for Negotiating
an Autonomy Statute for the Sahara region" whereas the Polisario
proposal as the UN's secretary general  former personal envoy for
Sahara, Peter Van Walsum described it  «it is consistent With
Polisario well known positions" he added that self- determination does
not have to mean independence. There are many examples in the world
where concerned populations chose, following referendum consultations
or other, autonomy or total integration».
It is too early to even predict that there is a shift in the Algerian
foreign policy towards the Sahara dispute, but undoubtedly there is a
change of political vocabulary , which makes some observers see
President Bouteflica’s letter as a start for a new Algerian outlook to
the Sahara conflict, particularly that the Algerian diplomacy have
lost recently a number of diplomatic battles in terms of W Sahara
conflict  and the UN officials especially the former general secretary
Kofi Anan mentioned in an unprecedented way the extent of the
involvement of Algeria not only in the conflict but also in the
decision making on behalf of polisario .
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