Western Sahara talks end, no deal in sight

These reports are article excerpts from Cuba’s Prensa Latina news agency.

Representatives of the Polisario Front and the government of Morocco on Wednesday (Jan. 9) concluded their third

round of direct negotiations in seven months on the future of Western Sahara, without clear signs of a possible agreement.

It seems Morocco is stuck to its proposal of granting the autonomy to the Saharan population with the condition that the territory, a former colony of Spain until the 1970s, remains under its control.

Meanwhile, the Polisario Front suggests holding a referendum on self-determination in which the independence choice is included along with the Moroccan offer.

On the last day of talks, arbitrated by U.N. special envoy for Western Sahara Dutch Peter Van Walsum, there were no signs of consensus.

For Moroccan Interior Minister Chakib Benmoussa, head of his country’s delegation to the talks, Rabat’s offer is “innovative, creative, and full of promises.” According to information given to press, he also said he will not accept any effort intended to impose a policy that affects the Moroccan territorial integrity of sovereignty.

In the meantime, the head of the Polisario Front, Mahfoud Ali Beiba, defended the Saharan people’s right to exert self-determination, and choose the best for its future.

“It would be a serious mistake to push it to extreme situations,” Beiba warned.

On Jan. 10, Prensa Latina reported that the Polisario Front called the recently concluded round of talks with the Moroccan government useful and important.

“This was an opportunity for the two parties in dispute to continue clarifying the fundamental questions at stake, and they agreed to hold a fourth round of talks in the New York suburb of Manhasset on March 11-13,” the head of the Saharan delegation, Mahfoud Ali Beiba, told press.

The two days of talks concluded on Wednesday night with no significant progress towards a mutual solution on the future of that ex Spanish colony under Moroccan occupation.

“The Saharan delegation welcomes the scheduling of a fourth round of talks with a view to make them substantial, as it has been requested by the U.N. Security Council,” said Beiba.