President Butaflika formally recognizes Algeria's role in 'Sahrawi Republic' recognition campaign

Algerian President Abdul Aziz Butaflika formally recognized on Wednesday that his country had played a decisive role in the campaign to drum support for the recognition by several states of the puppet Sahrawi Republic, based in Tindouf (southwestern Algeria).

The Algerian head of state who was addressing the 10th congress of the national organization of Mujahidines (war veterans) said his country endeavoured in the Sahara issue until it obtained that 74 countries recognize the phantom entity, proclaimed by the Polisario, a separatist group laying claim on Moroccan southern provinces, the Sahara, that were retrieved by the kingdom in 1975 under the Madrid Accords signed with Spain, the former occupying country, and Mauritania.

Butaflika's remarks that were broadcast by the Algerian national TV, come to confirm anew Algeria's direct and total involvement in the Sahara dispute, despite repeated denials by the Algerian head of state.

Butaflika has recently insisted on more than one occasion that his country did not have any interest in the conflict and that it had friendship and affection feelings toward neighboring Morocco.

The Algerian President's new remarks, that were censured by the official news agency probably confirm Morocco's arguments that the Sahara issue would never have existed were it not for the interference of Algeria.