THE Algeria decided to recall its ambassador to Madrid “immediately” following statements by the Spanish head of government which, according to Algiers, are a “sudden change of position” on Western Sahara, according to a statement cited by official media. .
THE Spainheavily dependent on Algerian gas supplies, took a radical stance on the sensitive issue yesterday, Friday, publicly backing Morocco’s position on a plan for autonomy for Western Sahara, while always advocating neutrality between Rabat and separatists Sahrawi of the Polisario Front.
“Amazed by the statements of the highest Spanish authorities on the subject of Western Sahara, the Algerian authorities, surprised by this sudden change of position of the former ruling power of Western Sahara, decided to recall their ambassador to Madrid for consultations. “immediate effect,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albaras said in Barcelona on Friday that Spain “considers the Moroccan autonomy initiative presented in 2007” as “the most serious, realistic and credible basis for resolving this dispute” between Rabat and of the Polisario Front.
The new position was announced a few hours earlier in Rabat, citing a message from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, which the Moroccan authorities hailed as “constructive commitments”, paving the way for the resumption of bilateral relations.
A major diplomatic dispute between Rabat and Madrid has been going on since April 2021 after being hosted in Spain to be treated for Covid, Polisario leader Brahim Galli. This led to the mass arrival, in May 2021, of Moroccan migrants in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta (northern Morocco), who took advantage of the loosening of Moroccan border surveillance.
The conflict in Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony considered a “non-autonomous territory” by the UN, has for decades pitted Morocco against Algerian-backed Sahrawi separatists on the Polisario Front.
Rabat, which controls almost 80% of the territory, proposes a plan for autonomy under its rule, while Polisario calls for a referendum on self-determination, which was planned when the ceasefire was signed in 1991 but was never implemented.
Algeria supplies more than 40% of the gas imported by Spain, most of which comes via the Medgaz submarine pipeline.
Source: News Beast
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