Zapatero: Sahara dispute among main obstacles to UMA
Morocco-Spain, Politics, 3/24/2005

Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Rodriguez Zapatero, said on Tuesday the Sahara dispute opposing Morocco to the Algeria-backed separatist movement "Polisario" is among the main obstacles facing the regional integration process of the Maghreb, and the full development of the Arab Maghreb Union.

The regional grouping, known by its French acronym UMA, musters five north African countries, namely Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia. Since it was set up in 1989, UMA is at a stalemate because of political differences between member states, in particular between the two most populated countries, Morocco and Algeria in view of the latter's support to the "Polisario" which has been claiming, since 1976, the separation of the Moroccan Southern Provinces (known as the Sahara) from the rest of the Kingdom. Morocco retrieved the former Spanish colony under the 1975 Madrid Accords.

Speaking at the opening of the 17th Arab summit, held in Algiers (March 22-23), Jose Rodriguez Zapatero, said since his government took office it has shown will to "contribute to the search of a fair and final solution" to this problem that has been lasting for 30 years now, becoming thus a "major obstacle to the complete stability and development of the region."

The Spanish Premier said such a "peaceful and consensus-based solution" must be reached by the parties "in total respect of international law."

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