The dispute over the former Spanish colony (the Sahara) dates back to 1976 when the Algeria-backed separatist movement, the Polisario, started claiming the independence of the territory that was ceded to Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid Accord.

    Morocco and Polisario have so far held four rounds of UN-sponsored negotiations in Manhasset (outskirts of New York) with a view to putting an end to the 32-year Sahara dispute. A fifth round is expected, but no date has been set so far. 

    "Morocco invites the other parties to seize this new Secretary General's appeal, in order to put a final term to this regional dispute, which hastens the construction of the Arab Maghreb, as a prosperous, democratic and stable space,” according to the same source.
  
    The north African country “shares the view of the Secretary General to preserve the current dynamic. In this framework, the Kingdom concurs with his relevant notice that only realism and a spirit of compromise can allow the ongoing negotiation process to reach a negotiated political solution to the Sahara regional conflict,” the communiqué underlined, noting that “for this purpose, while calling to enter into more intensive and substantive negotiations, the Secretary General thus strengthens the continuously reiterated demand by the Moroccan side that is animated by its sincere will, to make this process progress.”

    Morocco, “takes note with interest” of the Secretary General’s report, publicized, today, April 16th, in which Mr. Ban Ki-Moon welcomes the parties’ commitment to continue the process of negotiations which was made possible thanks to the autonomy proposal, presented by Morocco.”

    Morocco “reiterates its support to the United Nations Secretary General and to his Personal Envoy and welcomes the fact that this report breathes new life to the ongoing negotiation process.”

    Morocco’s proposal to grant autonomy to the Sahara, recalled the same source, “indeed awaited and encouraged by the international community, will allow the population of the Sahara region to manage its own business, through democratically elected organs, in the framework of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”