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This Saturday, March 19, Algiers recalled its ambassador to Spain for “consultation”. A sign of protest following the support displayed for Rabat’s autonomy plan on the question of Western Sahara. By breaking its position of traditional neutrality, Spain is arousing contrasting reactions among those involved in this dossier.
On Friday, the head of Spanish diplomacy declared that Morocco’s autonomy plan is ” the most serious, realistic and credible basis for resolving this dispute to say the least.
In the eyes of Madrid, this positioning marks a ” new stage of relations with Rabat. By openly supporting the Moroccan authorities’ autonomy plan for Western Sahara, Spain is seeking to emerge from a crisis that was beginning to seriously affect it. This gesture allows him to try to put an end to diplomatic tensions with the kingdom which, in recent months, has increased the pressure.
« The Spanish government has ended 47 years of Spanish neutrality in the Western Sahara conflict, notes the Spanish journalist Ignacio Cembrero. He probably did it to put an end to the crisis with Morocco. The pressures were numerous on the part of the latter: the massive entry of irregular immigrants into the city of Ceuta last May, the prolonged closure beyond health reasons of the land borders of Ceuta and Melilla, the interruption passenger traffic through the Strait of Gibraltar – which prevents Andalusian ports from working with Morocco. The list is very, very long. Morocco has not stopped using peaceful means to make Spain give in. Something he finally managed to do… »
A sign of this rapprochement: the Spanish Prime Minister has scheduled an official visit to Rabat, without specifying a date for the moment. For the Moroccan authorities, this support is important, because thanks to Madrid, ” Rabat hopes to have more support for its autonomy plan within the European Union and the UN “explains an observer.
For their part, the Sahrawi separatists of the Polisario Front say to themselves ” astonished by this reversal of Spanish diplomacy. The former colonial empire still has the ” administering power status on the spot, and as such, she should have a balanced approach », Considers Oubi Bachir Bouchraya, representative of the Polisario Front in Europe.
We deeply deplore this Spanish position which arises in a context of tensions, war, breach of the ceasefire, but at the same time also with efforts by the UN to relaunch the negotiation process
Oubi Bachir Bouchraya, representative of the Polisario Front in Europe
Double-edged decision
First consequence of this declaration: Algeria, which supports the Polisario Front, recalled its ambassador for consultation “. And the measure is immediate. In a statement, Algiers says it is ” very stunned ” by ” the sudden reversal of position from the Spanish authorities.
But the coup de theater of the socialist government of Pedro Sanchez is a double-edged sword, underlines our correspondent in Madrid, Francois Musseau. Admittedly, on the one hand, this volte face now ensures better relations with Morocco, but on the other hand, relations automatically become very complicated and conflictual with Algeria, a historical support for the independence of Western Sahara. and the Polisario Front. However, this now raises the question of gas supply, Algeria being the main supplier of this essential source of energy to Spain.
Pedro Sanchez assured that this supply is not at risk. But given the anger of the Algerian power over the Saharan issue and the fact that it depends a lot on Russia, nothing is less certain. Madrid have surely pacified its relations with Rabat, but will now have to manage new tensions with Algeria
What counterpart for Madrid?
It also remains to be seen whether this “normalization” of relations between the two countries will be sustainable. The Spanish journalist Ignacio Cembrero remains skeptical: ” We will now have a normal relationship with Morocco, but I don’t think we can have a very cordial relationship with Morocco. He still continues to claim the cities of Ceuta and Melilla ; it has approved laws on territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zones that encroach on the Canary Islands ; it does not recognize territorial waters in Ceuta and Melilla. »
The journalist believes that Spain only obtained “ no significant consideration ». « It may be that the irregular immigration that arrives in the Canary Islands and which has increased a lot in recent months is decreasing, so Spain has won a few months of tranquility and peace with its neighbor. But the relationship will always continue to be complicated “, he concludes.
