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Factbox: Some facts about Western Sahara dispute

Reuters    Translate This Article
7 November 2010

AKDIM IZIK, Western Sahara (Reuters) - Here are some key facts on the dispute over Western Sahara, a tract of desert the size of Britain.

* WHAT IS THE DISPUTE?

— Western Sahara, a sparsely-populated former Spanish colony, was annexed in 1975 by Morocco.

— The Polisario Front waged a guerrilla war for Western Sahara's independence until the United Nations brokered a ceasefire in 1991. The truce included the promise of a referendum, but that has not happened because of disagreements over how it should be carried out.

— The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic declared by the Polisario in 1976 is now recognized by many governments and is a full member of the African Union.

— Western Sahara is home to phosphate reserves, used in making fertilizers and detergents, and has rich fishing grounds off its coast. It may also have oil and gas reserves.

* NEGOTIATIONS:

— Morocco and the Polisario held two rounds of U.N.-sponsored peace talks in 2007, but the formal negotiations broke down in acrimony after less than a year.

— The latest round of Western Sahara talks, held in Armonk, New York, in February 2010 ended without any movement in the 35-year-old dispute. Morocco and the Polisario nevertheless said they would continue their negotiations.

— The two sides, along with officials from neighboring Algeria and Mauritania, will meet near New York City on Monday, the United Nations has said.

WHO ARE THE MAIN PLAYERS?

* MOROCCO:

— Morocco says it has centuries-old rights over the territory and that since annexation it has poured large sums of money into improving living conditions in Western Sahara.

— Rabat has said that the most it can offer to Western Sahara is autonomy within Morocco.

— Morocco has won international praise for its improved human rights record since King Mohamed VI ascended to the throne in 1999. But international rights groups say abuses continue, particularly in Western Sahara.

* POLISARIO:

— The Polisario's claim for independence has support in Africa, where some countries regard the territory as the continent's last colony.

— In a proposal submitted to the United Nations in April 2007, the Polisario said it was ready to negotiate with Morocco on ways to hold a referendum offering a choice between independence, integration into Morocco, and self-governance.

— Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have expressed concern over the Polisario's treatment of Mustapha Salma Ould Sidi Mouloud, who was detained on spying charges soon after he spoke out in favor of Morocco's autonomy proposal.

* ALGERIA:

— Rabat's vision of autonomy is opposed by Algeria, Polisario's key ally and site of its headquarters. Thousands of Sahrawi refugees live in camps in the Algerian desert.

— Western diplomats say tension over Western Sahara is hampering cooperation between Algeria and Morocco on tackling the region-wide threat from al Qaeda's north African wing.

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