Equipo Nizkor - Algeria's reaction to Spain's Western Sahara policy shift betrays confusion, conflicted posture.

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21Mar22

Algeria's reaction to Spain's Western Sahara policy shift betrays confusion, conflicted posture

The Spanish policy shift on the Western Sahara issue has put Algeria in a tough spot, compelling it to struggle with conflicting considerations over the position to take, analysts noted.
As much as it wants to ease diplomatic tensions with Spain, its European partner and neighbour, it cannot remain silent in front of what it sees as strategic damage to its regional interests.
So far, the Algerian authorities have only said they are puzzled by "the surprising statements of the highest authorities in Spain on the issue of Western Sahara."
On Friday Madrid had announced its support for Rabat's approach to resolving the crisis as it praised Morocco's autonomy plan for the Western Sahara. With the exception of announcing the recall of the Algerian ambassador to Madrid for consultations, no other official statement nor position has been made public by Algiers.
It seems that Algeria is not upping the diplomatic stakes with Spain, in order not to appear a quarrelsome country, especially after the tensions that have marked its diplomatic relations with France in recent months, on top of the continuing crisis with Morocco. But Algiers finds itself in a position where it cannot remain silent considering the damage caused by Madrid's position to its interests in the region, especially after what has seemed to be its rapprochement in recent years with Spain.
Analysts point out that the task of voicing the official position was apparently entrusted with the National Liberation Front (FLN), one of the major political parties loyal to government.
The FLN put out a statement on Sunday, breaking the wall of silence where it had confined for months, despite the many domestic and external pressing issues facing Algeria. This statement seemingly expressed the views of the authorities but outside the official channels.
It strongly denounced the sudden Spanish Sahara policy shift, describing it as a "suspicious barter deal," and said that the Spanish position "absolutely contradicts international legality decisions and traditional positions of Spanish governments that were committed to neutrality and advocated a solution within the framework of international institutions."
The FLN called on the Spanish government to "review its new position in order to abide by the resolutions expressing international legality and find a just and lasting political solution."
The National Liberation Front strongly "condemned the shift in the position of Spain, the former administrative authority in the Sahara and renews its full support for the Algerian state's decision to recall the Algerian ambassador to Madrid for consultations, a decision that expresses Algeria's firm and principled positions in support of the Saharan cause as an issue of decolonisation."
It added that "the sudden reversal in the position of the Spanish government clearly confirms the existence of a barter deal between Spain and the Moroccan regime, at the expense of the cause of a people struggling to achieve its independence, by organising a referendum for self-determination approved by the United Nations."
It added that, "this odd position of Spain is a historic betrayal and is far from being serious, realistic and credible."
It emphasised that Madrid's change of position "does not contribute to ending the conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front, which is the sole legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people. "
The FLN's statement implicitly reflected the official annoyance of the Algerian authorities. According to Algeria's decades-long tradition, the National Liberation Front and other pro-government parties, cannot take a position on foreign policy issues outside the approval of authorities.
The FLN's statement also reflected the confusion created by the Spanish policy shift, which has pushed the ruling alliance in Algiers to try to find a middle ground between escalation and silence. Decision-makers chose a calm official posture while the expression of extreme displeasure was left to the leading political party. It is likely that other political forces will join the FLN in taking similar positions.
Algeria decided to recall its ambassador in Madrid for consultations and a statement by the ministry of foreign affairs said "Algeria was deeply surprised by the recent statements of its Spanish counterpart and that it received Spain's abrupt reversal in the Sahara file with great astonishment. "
Algeria has denied that Madrid had given it advance notice of its change of position.
Algeria and Spain had recently seen a remarkable rapprochement, which has translated in expansion of bilateral cooperation in many areas, the latest being Algeria's offer to guarantee Spain additional gas supplies in anticipation of the Ukrainian crisis fallouts on the flow of Russian gas to Europe. Madrid has also extradited to Algiers members of Algerian opposition wanted by the authorities.
[Source: By Saber Blidi, The Arab Weekly, London, UK, 21Mar22]

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