Bouteflika's statements on Sahara 'provocative,' Sudanese paper
Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 6/4/2005

The latest 'deliberate' statements of Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on the Moroccan Sahara are 'provocative' not only for Morocco and its people, but also for all peoples in the region, wrote recently the Sudanese newspaper "Sahafa."

The author of the article, Zouhir Essarraj, deplored that Bouteflika's statements, that expressed support to the Polisario Front, came on the eve of the Arab Maghreb Summit (UMA) and at a time when Moroccan-Algerian relations had remarkably improved after the visit last March of king Mohammed VI to Algiers.

Algiers' support to the Polisario in its claims for the separation of Morocco's southern provinces (Sahara) has long hampered the development of north African grouping UMA, that musters Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia. Set up in 1989, UMA failed to hold a summit since 1994, notably because of tensions between Morocco and Algeria over the Sahara issue.

"Maghreban peoples pinned hopes on this summit and expected it to adopt a resolution that would open large prospects for cooperation between countries of the region," noted the paper, deploring that through his statements, Bouteflika "wanted to kill these hopes and abort the summit."

Libya, that was due to host the UMA summit on May 25-26, has decided to postpone it because of the tensions that occurred after the Algerian president's statements on the Sahara.

"Are these statements aimed at concealing internal problems facing the Algerian president, or are they a conspiracy against the Moroccan State that embarked 15 years ago on a new drive, engaging various economic, political and social reforms?," wondered the author of the article.

The Sahara issue was also raised earlier this week by the Venezuelan newspapers "Diario de Caracas" and "El Nacional" under the titles "the Western Sahara historically Moroccan" and "Morocco seeks negotiations with Algeria on the Western Sahara conflict."

The two papers published an interview with Morocco's ambassador to Venezuela who gave an overview on the history of the conflict and the latest developments of the dispute.

The diplomat affirmed that Morocco is ready to start negotiations with Algeria to reach a final solution to the Sahara conflict in a way that respects Morocco's integrity and sovereignty.

Previous Stories:
  Al-Hayat: Detention of thousands of Saharwis in Tindouf raises concern   (6/1/2005)
  Morocco vows continued efforts for political solution to Sahara issue   (5/31/2005)
  'Polisario' publicly threatens to resort to terror against Morocco   (5/30/2005)

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