The government of Morocco and the Polisario Front held last weekend the fifth round of United Nations-backed informal talks to discuss over the future of Western Sahara. Both sides were unable to reduce the gap between their postures. UN Special Envoy for Western Sahara Christopher Ross announced he is to foster a sixth round of talks in March, as "each party continues to reject the proposal of the other as a sole basis for future negotiations".

The Moroccan government insisted on its autonomy plan as the only way to solve the conflict, while the Polisario Front was in favour of a South Sudan-like solution based on a referendum of independence a plebiscite envisaged by the United Nations since 1991. The Polisario has been warning that the Spanish government is becoming engaged with the pro-autonomy solution proposed by Rabat. Other actors attending the talks as observers, such as Algeria and Mauritania, have not been able to see a way out of the present situation either.

Both sides agree with Ross' suggestion that "innovative approaches to create new dynamics" must be found, but Rabat is still rejecting the Sahrawi people's right to decide their own political status. In this regard, the UN General Assembly passed a new resolution on the dispute last month reaffirming the "inalienable right to self-determination and independence of all peoples".

Morocco and the Polisario held four official meetings between 2007 and 2008. In view of the lack of progress made, the UN promoted the present informal talks from August 2009, which are turning out to be equally unsuccessful.

Serene atmosphere

Despite the breaking up of Sahrawi camps at the outskirts of Laayoune by the Moroccan army in November 2010, which left several dead, both the UN and the parties in conflict pointed out the discussions took place in an atmosphere of "serious engagement, frankness, and mutual respect."

Further information:

• Le Temps d'Algérie: Madrid mène campagne contre le référendum
• United Nations: Latest round of UN-backed Western Sahara talks concludes in New York
• Nationalia: Right to self-determination for Sahrawi recognized by new UN special envoy and Morocco and Polisario to go ahead with talks to solve the Western Sahara dispute.
  

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