On Wednesday Morocco submitted its autonomy project to the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon. The project consists in a granting substantial autonomy to the Southern Provinces (The Sahara) under Morocco's sovereignty.
Washington welcomed Morocco's draft plan as "serious and credible," and France deemed it a "constructive initiative," while Madrid said the autonomy plan constitutes a basis for seeking a political solution to the dispute over the former Spanish colony. Spain ceded the Sahara to Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid Accord, but the Polisario, backed by Algeria, seeks the independence of the territory.
The political parties unanimously hailed such positions that show that these countries are convinced as to "the will of Morocco to find a final solution to this dispute," adding that the world’s influential capitals want to deal with a “strong and united” Maghreb Arab Union (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia). The Union, known as the UMA, is at a deadlock since it was launched in the late Eighties mainly because of Algeria’s full backing to the Polisario.
The positions of Spain, France and of Great Britain – which welcomed discussions with Morocco about the plan – is also an invitation to Algeria and to the Polisario to consider seriously this proposal as “a genuine opportunity to solve the conflict,” said a political leader, underling that “the next step requires understanding and cooperation between Morocco and Algeria.”
Other leaders recalled that this initiative, due to be discussed on April 20 by the Security Council, is a response to the calls of the international community and of the Security Council to find a political settlement to the conflict. It also respects the international standards in terms of autonomy, they added.