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A discrete lobbying has taken place during the weekend in Washington, just before the American State Secretary Hillary Clinton’s visit to Marrakech, where she has participated in the works of Forum for the future. In fact, the Algerian Ambassador to the USA has tried to convince his interlocutors within the White House that America should not, once again “publically support the Moroccan autonomy plan”, in order no to “discourage the negotiators”. Abdallah Baali, who has many times participated in the Sahara issue by elaborating a new lobbying approach in the US Congress and Senate, has nonetheless received a flat refusal, and has been told that the “American support to the Moroccan plan of conflict settlement is non-negotiable, as peace and security in the region are part of the strategic interests of the United States”. However, what Abdallah Baali’s interlocutor has not said, is that America unfortunately believes that the discussions between Morocco and the Polisario Front are totally blocked, the proof is that Christopher Ross, the UNO negotiator for the Western Sahara, has recently asked for the support of the State Secretariat in order to influence the Algerians and “encourage” them to “get open to dialogue”. According to sources close to the issue, contacted by the “Polisario Confidentiel”, no date has been set to restart direct negotiators. This situation seems to exasperate the American State Secretary, who has reiterated her support to the Moroccan plan and has even assisted to the ceremony of the launching of the Moroccan mega plan for Solar Energy.

While the deadline of direct talks between Morocco and the Polisario Front seem to be increasingly far, the Guerilla movement negotiators team threatens to resign if some “concrete elements” have not been provided to them before sitting once again to the same table with Moroccans. “If nothing is negotiable, why discuss with Moroccans?” had said Mhammed Khaddad, one of the members of the negotiators team, to his usual interlocutor from the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in charge of relations with the MINURSO. In fact, in the wake of the recent developments of the Sahara issue (Expulsion of the Polisario delegation from the 2nd South America- Africa Summit held in Venezuela), then the traditional egos fight before the 4th UN Committee, it seem that a kind of feeling of weariness has overcome the Front leadership, which would like to have a proposal to discuss in order to start noticing the end of the tunnel.

According to a source close to the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, phoned by the “Polisario Confidentiel”, the very recent visit of the 7 Moroccan nationals to the Polisario camps in Tindouf has been the subject of the most squalid financial haggling, after the decision of six members from the group to suddenly stop their visit, having noticed the terrible life conditions of the peoples living in the camps controlled by the Guerilla. Fierce conversations have taken place between the 6 resistant members and their « head » of delegation, a well-known activist who wanted to persuade them to continue the visit despite the observed atrocities. In fact, the other members wanted to return back quickly, after having noticed that outside the “official” course, prepared by the Polisario Front leadership, it is another reality that has been presented to them to see. Some Sahrawi living in camps, having in fact heard about the 7 Moroccans’ visit, have decided to « invite » themselves during a reception “ceremony”, and have then revealed to the Moroccan group that all the staging prepared for their coming has been made last week by the Algerian militaries, who have transported foodstuff, and have even started to repaint the Front Polisario buildings.

From a source close to the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, members from the Polisario Front leadership have attempted to join the Algerian delegation accompanying the President Bouteflika during the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly. A small problem seems to have been omitted by the “special guests” of the Algerian regime: the UN security services allow the entry to the building only to persons who are authorized and who have mandate from their government. There has been, then, a moment of hesitation which lasted for few minutes at the entry of UN, during which President Bouteflika got nervous, before becoming aware of the presence of foreign journalists with their cameras. Huge anger also expressed by the two members of the Polisario Front, who were supposed to accompany the Algerian President during the Africa-South America 2nd Summit which would take place in Venezuela today. This is not the first time that Bouteflika tries to smuggle Polisario leaders into places as members of his delegation, and the last time he tries doing so was during the 40th anniversary of Mouammar Kadhafi coming to power. This event was at the origin of a diplomatic tension between Libya and Morocco.