Abc: Polisario started to lose support within UN
Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 4/30/2004

The Spanish daily Abc wrote Wednesday that the Polisario separatists, which are claiming the independence of the Moroccan Sahara, have begun to lose support within the UN.

"Polisario no longer knows how to draw support to its thesis," the paper said, noting that the situation of the secessionist group is going downhill in the United Nations.

"Polisario lacks dynamism," said the paper quoting the South African ambassador, Dumisani Kumalo, who made this statement Tuesday in the UN.

According to the paper, Kumalo and other UN officials said during the session of the UN decolonisation committee "Polisario is losing support," arguing that the latest country to "let down Polisario" secessionists, is India, one of the most influential countries within the non-aligned movement.

For the South African diplomat, the Sahara question "no longer raises interest compared to other issues that attract international attention," the paper noted.

After JosŽ Luis Rodriguez Zapatero took office as new Prime Minister of Spain, Polisario feared that "things get complicated," said Abc, noting that all Moroccans are united concerning the Sahara issue making of it a priority in their international relations, in particular with Spain, the former colonial power.

The "new complicity" between the government of Zapatero and Morocco, according to a diplomat cited by Abc, also concerns the "thorny Sahara issue, with a more understanding stance" for Morocco's position.

Strengthening relations with France and Morocco, which is among the focal points of the current Spanish socialist government's policy, is not only materialized through the recent visit of Zapatero to Morocco during which he did not mention the Baker plan but also within the United Nations, the paper added. Abc underlined that Spain did not mention the Baker plan during the Tuesday debate in the UN on the Sahara which came as a surprise to Polisario representatives.

The daily noted that, according to the political analysis of UN officials and other diplomats, time is running against the Polisario and the pessimism that marked the report, which UN chief Kofi Annan presented to the Security Council on Tuesday, is a victory to Morocco.

Previous Stories:
  Morocco reaffirms readiness to negotiate autonomy status of Moroccan sahara inhabitants   (4/29/2004)
  Any solution to sahara issue should heed Morocco's territorial unity, party   (4/28/2004)
  Sahara is Absolute priority of Moroccan Diplomacy, FM   (4/27/2004)

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