Former Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika urged the United States to help break the long-standing deadlock over Western Sahara, arguing that Washington’s support for Morocco’s autonomy proposal represented a painful departure from its traditional backing of self-determination, according to a leaked U.S. diplomatic cable published by WikiLeaks.
According to the confidential diplomatic dispatch, the appeal was made during a farewell meeting on June 24 between Bouteflika and then-U.S. Ambassador to Algeria Robert S. Ford. The document describes an unusually candid exchange in which the Algerian leader expressed frustration over what he viewed as a shift in American policy toward the disputed territory.
The cable states that Bouteflika told the ambassador Algeria had deliberately prevented disagreements over Western Sahara from damaging bilateral relations with Washington. However, he reportedly said that U.S. and French support for Morocco had left Algeria « with our backs against the wall. »
According to the leaked document, Ambassador Ford defended Washington’s approach by describing autonomy as the most pragmatic path toward ending a conflict that has remained unresolved for decades. He reportedly argued that without a realistic negotiating framework, the stalemate could continue for another 30 years or longer.
The diplomatic cable adds that Ford suggested life under a credible autonomy arrangement would offer a better future for Sahrawi refugees than continued residence in refugee camps. According to the dispatch, he emphasized that the United States was not asking the Polisario Front to accept Morocco’s proposal outright, but rather to negotiate over autonomy while presenting its own alternative.
The ambassador reportedly cited the Kurdish autonomous region in Iraq as an example of how extensive self-government could exist within the borders of a unified state, according to the cable.
Bouteflika, however, rejected any suggestion that Algeria would abandon its longstanding position supporting the Sahrawi people’s right to determine their own future. According to the leaked diplomatic report, he described the issue as one of principle, arguing that powerful nations should not be allowed to impose their will on weaker peoples.
The cable further reports that Bouteflika drew comparisons with East Timor, saying the United States had previously supported that territory’s independence and should therefore uphold the same principle for Western Sahara. He also reportedly noted that the Polisario Front maintained considerable diplomatic influence across Africa, making it impossible for Algeria to disregard the movement’s position.
According to the document, Bouteflika also dismissed suggestions that Algeria sought to undermine Morocco’s stability. On the contrary, he reportedly argued that Morocco’s stability was essential for Algeria’s own security and criticized Rabat for linking the monarchy’s future to the Western Sahara dispute.
The leaked cable states that Bouteflika continued to advocate a process allowing the Sahrawi population to decide their political future, even if a final settlement were implemented gradually over several years. He reportedly reiterated Algeria’s support for the so-called Baker Plan, a previous United Nations proposal designed to resolve the conflict through a transitional arrangement followed by a referendum.
According to the dispatch, Ambassador Ford responded that the Baker Plan had failed to generate meaningful progress toward a settlement. The document says Bouteflika nevertheless renewed his appeal for greater U.S. involvement in helping overcome the diplomatic impasse.
In an analytical comment concluding the cable, Ambassador Ford reportedly assessed that Algeria remained unwilling to pressure the Polisario Front into negotiating exclusively on the basis of Moroccan autonomy. At the same time, the ambassador observed that Bouteflika appeared genuinely interested in finding a way out of the deadlock, while suggesting that neither side had produced innovative proposals capable of moving the peace process forward.
The Western Sahara dispute remains one of North Africa’s longest-running territorial conflicts. Morocco controls most of the territory and advocates an autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty, while the Polisario Front seeks a referendum that includes the option of independence. Algeria supports the Polisario politically and diplomatically, although it maintains that it is not a direct party to the conflict.
Source: According to a leaked U.S. diplomatic cable (08ALGIERS733) published by WikiLeaks, summarizing a meeting between U.S. Ambassador Robert S. Ford and former Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
#Algeria #UnitedStates #AbdelazizBouteflika #WesternSahara #Morocco #RobertS.Ford #Wikileaks #AlgeriaUSA #BouteflilaWesternSahara #BouteflikaMorocco
Soyez le premier à commenter