AN
OPEN LETTER TO THE ALGERIAN
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AMBASSADOR IN WA****NGTON
BY: TAOUFIQ GAZOULIT
A letter to the editor of the American daily newspaper "The Wa****ngton
Times" was sent by the Algerian counsellor at the Algerian embassy in
Wa****ngton, concerning an article published by "the Wa****ngton times,
about "improving prospects in western Sahara=BB, and obviously the
direct involvement of Algiers in the conflict.
Mr Ameur Betka, who was more likely instructed by his boss the
ambassador to answer back the American newspaper, insisted wrongly on
the fact that his country sees the conflict as "a matter of
decolonization opposing the people of Western Sahara to the kingdom of
Morocco"
The Algerian diplomat should have, in his letter, explained to what
extent his country is responsible for the present deadlock, which in
the view of the international community, is a result to the Algerian
non commitment to its explicit statement, which says that it does not
consider itself as part of the dispute, facts on the ground shows
unfortunately that Algeria, since mid-seventies was keen to hamper,
systematically the completion of Morocco's territorial integrity.
Algeria's involvement in the Sahara issue has taken various forms:
military engagement against Morocco, financial and logistic sup****t to
the polisario front, mobilization of its diplomatic services against
the territorial integrity of Morocco, in addition to hosting the
Polisario on its terriotory.Algeria sponsored in 1976 the creation of
an alleged republic, and opted for an all-out campaign to make world
countries recognize this fictitious entity, that does not have any of
the characteristics of a sovereign state .
It is worth reminding the Algerians that when the Algerian question
was being examined by the UN general assembly in 1961.Morocco was one
of the first to defend Algeria's territorial integrity. It was this
same principle of territorial integrity which Morocco evoked to regain
the Sahara by basing itself not only on history, and law but also on
the wishes of the population. Morocco had always possessed Western
Sahara in the same way as its northern
provinces.
It is obvious that Morocco seeks a final settlement to this dispute,
which is in a way a result of the cold war and the inter- Arab
differences, this conflict did not help to effectively build the
Maghreb Union. The dispute over Western Sahara did not help either the
promotion of democracy in the region nor making use of natural
resources for the people of the region.
The aim behind the Moroccan proposal is that Sahraouis claims will be
satisfied, and Morocco remains sovereign over its southern
territories.
When it comes to the UN, The secretary general personal envoy for
Sahara Van Walsum stated (in his press conference at the headquarter
of the UN, after presenting his re****t to the
UN chief) that the Moroccan proposal to grant substantial autonomy to
the western Sahara "was the result of an extended political process
of national and international consultations" whereas the polisario
proposal, the UN envoy added "it is consistent with polisario well
known positions" .As far as the role of Algeria in the conflict Mr
Walsum recognized the pre-eminent role of Algeria, "Algeria has in
this whole dossier (Sahara issue) played an absolutely pre-
eminent ,dominant role ever since1975" this is the third time that a
senior UN official dealing directly with the western Sahara issue that
recognized in a diplomatic Worthing to what extent the Algerians are
directly involved in the western Sahara dispute ,and even in the
decision making on behalf of the separatist movement called polisario
while Algiers keeps insisting that "it is not a part in the conflict".
The Security Council had consistently made it clear that it would not
impose a solution to the question of Western Sahara, which had led him
to the conclusion that there were only two options: either indefinite
prolongation of the impasse or negotiations without preconditions
between the parties aimed at achieving a mutually acceptable political
solution
..
It is obvious that the Moroccan opinion public, and the
international community are "fed up" with the Algerian double standard
policy towards the Western Sahara issue...sometimes it presents itself
as a concerned party, other times as an im****tant actor, or as a party
in the settlement of the dispute. If Algeria is willing (as it
claims ) to help sahraoui refugees in its own territory in Tindouf,
then it has to lift the military and security blockade imposed around
the camps, it would then find out that Sahraoui refugees will
automatically exert the self -determination by walking from the camps
and returning to their homeland in Morocco.
I would like to remind the Algerian diplomat ,and his boss the
ambassador that not only the security council called for direct
negotiations, but took note of the Moroccan proposal presented by
Morocco to the UN general secretary " welcome credible and serious
Moroccan efforts to move the process forward towards resolution" this
is in my view an implicit recognition that the Moroccan proposal is
the only and unique one to be taken into consideration as a basis for
any direct negotiations ,whereas the Polisario proposal did not bring
any new elements nor practical alternative to the present deadlock
Algeria should abandon its old dreams, and stop its non- stop
allegations which are in so any respects unconvincing, in order to
pave the way, and help to create a healthy atmosphere towards a
settlement to the Western Sahara. Having said that i know as much as
the international community does that Algeria and the polisario would
continue to create obstacles to the peace process advocated by the UN
Security Council, although the polisario agreed to enter direct
negotiations with Morocco, and Algeria welcomed the Security Council
resolution
The Moroccan position is unequivocal; the Western Sahara is an
integral part of the Kingdom of Morocco, whether Algeria and polisario
come to term with the UN Security Council resolution or not.
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