© Provided by Agencia EFE
Madrid, Apr 11 (EFE).- The Polisario Front has considered this Monday that “far from helping”, Spain’s new position with respect to Western Sahara supposes “four steps backwards” that seriously complicates the work of the UN special envoy , Staffan deMistura.
This was stated at a press conference by the representative of the Polisario Front for Spain, Abdullah Arabi, who lamented Spain’s decision to “side with Morocco” against Saharawi interests.
For Arabi, Spain has made a mistake by siding with Morocco, breaking a consensus that had lasted 46 years, placing itself outside international legality and excluding itself from the mediating role in the conflict.
For this reason, the Polisario Front has decided to suspend its political relations with Spain, as announced this Sunday, although not humanitarian and solidarity relations.
Thus, Arabi has thanked the Spaniards for their great solidarity with the Saharawis and their attitude to all the political parties (except the PSOE) that have been opposed to the new position of the Government in favor of the autonomy process for the Sahara.
According to the Polisario Front, the only solution to the conflict with Morocco is for the Saharawi people to decide in a referendum since “no country, no matter how big, can change the legal situation of another”.
“The Sahara and its natural wealth cannot be the subject of any agreement between two countries, he underlined after recalling that Spain continues to be the power responsible for some territories that are still in the process of decolonization.
Arabi has pointed out that both the High Court of Justice of the EU and the African Union recognize the Sahara as an independent state that must decide its own future, therefore, “if Spanish fishermen want to continue fishing in the waters of the Sahara they must negotiate with the Sahara”.
(c) EFE Agency