Western Sahara : Algeria would accept referendum, but would not « turn the other cheek, » (Bouteflika to Washington)

In a meeting marked by sharp diplomatic candor and biblical references, late Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika laid out his government’s unyielding position on the Western Sahara to a high-level U.S. delegation in August 2005. The discussions, which have come to light in a recently published diplomatic cable, occurred just before the humanitarian release of the last 404 Moroccan prisoners of war, a mission led by then-Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar.

According to the confidential cable, the meeting on August 18 saw President Bouteflika unequivocally assure Senator Lugar that the Western Sahara conflict would « never be a casus belli for Algeria ». However, he simultaneously made clear that if the Polisario Front chose to resume fighting, they would have the right to do so, albeit « on their own territory »—a caveat that prevented them from using Algeria as a base for military operations. The source added that while Algeria would not be dragged into war, the Polisario’s right to self-determination was non-negotiable.

The meeting was dominated by Bouteflika’s frustration with the stalled peace process. He recalled a 2001 commitment to President George W. Bush to cooperate with former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker. Bouteflika noted that Algeria had indeed accepted the Baker Plan, but the process collapsed when Baker resigned, leaving what the Algerian leader described as a « vacuum that had not been filled ».

The most striking exchange, however, revolved around bilateral relations with Morocco. Bouteflika sharply criticized the Moroccan government for a last-minute cancellation of a planned meeting between his Prime Minister and King Mohammed VI in Rabat earlier that year. The source described Bouteflika as unable to accept « dealing with diplomatic relations in such an irresponsible manner. » In a particularly pointed comment, Bouteflika dismissed advice from Presidents Bush and Chirac to be lenient with the young king, stating, « I am not Jesus Christ, and will not turn my other cheek ». He emphasized that while Algeria was ready to discuss « objective interests » with Morocco, Rabat needed to be « serious » and that « Algeria would accept the results of a referendum » on the territory’s status.

Senator Lugar, who had been dispatched on a presidential mission to oversee the POW release, urged both countries to reopen the land border and reengage at the highest levels. The delegation, which included Supreme Allied Commander in Europe General James Jones, pressed for renewed momentum to resolve the decades-old conflict.

The cable reveals that Bouteflika stressed the issue as one of international law, noting the Western Sahara had been on the UN agenda since the 1970s. He drew a red line regarding negotiations, insisting that Algeria would not act as a negotiating partner on behalf of the Sahrawis with France, Spain, the U.S., or even Morocco directly, but would continue to defend the right of self-determination.

Historical Context

The Western Sahara conflict, stemming from the 1975 withdrawal of Spain from the territory, has long been a point of tension between Morocco and Algeria. Morocco views the region as its sovereign territory, while Algeria supports the Polisario Front’s bid for independence. The release of the prisoners was a rare humanitarian victory, but the political impasse remained deep, with Algiers refusing to engage in direct negotiations with Rabat unless the « UN framework » was respected.

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