Sahara issue: referendum without political solution would trigger a 'generalized crisis' in North Africa, Moratinos
Maghreb-Spain, Politics, 7/13/2004

Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos has warned that the holding of a referendum in the Sahara, at this time, without a political solution might trigger what he described as a "generalized crisis" in North Africa, and urged all parties to find out a political solution that guarantees their respective rights as part of the United nations.

" In these difficult times, a referendum (in the Sahara) without a political solution might lead us to a situation of generalized crisis in North Africa," Moratinos said in an interview Sunday with Spanish daily "El Mundo."

The Sahara issue is opposing Morocco to the Algeria-backed separatist movement "Polisario" which is seeking the separation of these Moroccan Southern provinces from the rest of the Kingdom. Morocco recuperated this former Spanish colony in 1975 under the Madrid Accords signed with Spain and Mauritania.

Noting that "there is no technical solution without a political one,," the Spanish top diplomat deemed that "the political solution is the only one that should stabilize North Africa, and, therefore, resolve" their dispute. He added that the "historic moment has come so that the parties make an effort to find a satisfactory solution."

On his country's contribution to such efforts, Moratinos made it clear that Madrid has two options: "refer to the UN and hides as we did so far, or rolls up its sleeves and get down to work."

"It doesn't matter, I am ready to pay the price if in the end we could find a solution," he emphasized.

The Spanish foreign minister said his country's policy regarding the Sahara issue would change from " neutral and somehow hypocrite" - pursued by the previous Spanish Governments- to an "active commitment" that would help find a "final solution" to this dispute.

Asked about a previous statement by the new Spanish premier JosŽ Luis Rodriguez Zapatero who affirmed he would provide a solution to this problem in six months, Moratinos said this statement was "not interpreted correctly."

"He (Zapatero) wanted to say that "the (UN) Security Council has approved a resolution (on the (Sahara) and that it will adopt a new resolution next October. These are the six months he was referring to."

"We would certainly like to solve, in six months, this issue that has been lasting for 30 years, but we do not have this ingenuity,," he said adding that "if we really are a country engaged in a new relation with North Africa, we must make all efforts to help (the parties) find a way out from this crisis."

Moratinos whose remarks are the first of the kind by a Spanish official, pleaded on the other hand for a "joint strategy" by Spain and France towards North Africa.

"(Spain's) rapprochement with France is also a rapprochement to work out jointly a strategy towards North Africa, so that the message received in Algiers, Rabat and Tunis be the same, whether coming from Madrid or Paris,," he said.

The Spanish official voiced satisfaction at the "privileged" relations between the European Union and the North African countries, deeming that Morocco and Spain should resolve, in a bilateral way, "the problems that are really important" in their relations.

Previous Stories:
  Spain supports principle of negotiations between parties to Sahara issue   (12/8/2003)
  Asharq Al Awsat: Spanish FM: Morocco and Algeria, cornerstone of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation   (11/24/2003)
  Spanish defense minister urges Maghreban countries to diversify cooperation with spain   (1/26/1999)

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