On Friday, the U.S. Secretary of State met with the Algerian Foreign Minister to discuss a solution to the Question of the Western Sahara — for which the UN decided there should be a referendum of the Sahrawi population about whether they want integration with Morocco. Since then, there has been a huge amount of bickering over who is a Saharan — at least, who is a Saharan who should be allowed to vote in this UN-sponsored referendum. This is the key issue, because depending on who is allowed to vote, the outcome would be more or less predictable, one way or another.
Because the solution to this predicament has been too difficult for the UN to resolve, there have been various proposals, basically, to the Saharans, that they should just accept some kind of autonomy within Morocco. This, of course, means that the sponsors of such ideas do not support the UN’s earlier decision, and are proposing a “diplomatic” way around it.
These manouvers are exactly the kind of thing that gives diplomacy a bad name.
Here is an excerpt from the transcript of the State Department Friday briefing:
“QUESTION: The Secretary met today with the Algerian Foreign Minister
was it?
MR. MCCORMACK: She’s going to.
QUESTION: Oh, she’s going to.
MR. MCCORMACK: Going to, yes.
QUESTION: Is there any particular reason for that meeting?
MR. MCCORMACK: Well, we’re working closely with Algeria on a variety of different issues, counterterrorism, talking to them about the issue of the Western Sahara and continuing efforts to try to resolve that situation. We’re also talking to them about the importance of building up democratic institutions in Algeria. And those are all going to be on the agenda of the Secretary’s meeting this afternoon with the foreign minister”.