According to some indiscretions which have passed through the Maghreb diplomatic milieu, the informal round of negotiations which would take place during the month of March between Morocco and the Polisario in a place considered till now secret, would bring “a set of new things”, namely at the level of the composition of “the Algerian group” accompanying the Polisario. In fact, it seems that the person who was controlling the diplomatic aspect, Abdelkader Messahel, Assistant Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs, would hand on the torch to the special adviser of President Bouteflika in charge of security, Colonel Djamel Bouzghaya, also supposed to take over from General “Tawfik Médieène”, hold for life patron of the Algerian secret services. Dr Bouzghaza will be heading the Polisario delegation which would participate in the informal negotiations, with a change in the Algerian position, that is to have the possibility to go forwards towards a negotiated political solution. The only precondition which would have been requested to the Algerian strategist : “find a way which would not make Algeria lose face”.
According to the same sources, President Bouteflika put under pressure by a group from the Algerian authority which wishes to speed his departure, and wants to find a common ground with Morocco, so as to make an important announcement which would divert the attention from the prevailing internal dispute. According to some other sources, Bouteflika has looked for a means to start “bilateral, discreet and high level discussions between Rabat and Algiers”.
