US diplomat calls for self-determination referendum in Western Sahara

US diplomat and former national security advisor, John Bolton reiterated his conviction that a self-determination referendum in Western Sahara remains the only solution to resolve the conflict, as reported by Sahara Press Service on July 6th. Such a decision would then hold the Moroccan occupation responsible for obstructing this internationally and UN approved solution. 

In an interview with the Spanish newspaper, El Independiente, Bolton stated: “It is surprising that Morocco has been stalling for 25 years on organizing a self-determination referendum, at a time when it would have been easy to conduct”, emphasizing that it was not a “big task”.

After reviewing the agreement process for the self-determination referendum and his participation in drafting the 1991 Security Council resolution that established the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), Bolton noted that in 1997, Morocco had obstructed the referendum, despite renewing its commitment to it in the 1997 Houston Agreements.

Bolton stressed that the only way to resolve the issue is to conduct a self-determination referendum, and that “the Sahrawis who are still in refugee camps deserve to return to their homes, and no one disputes that”. He asserts that the right time to organize such a referendum is “when Morocco cooperates.”

Bolton pointed out that when he spoke with several UN envoys to Western Sahara, it became apparent that: “Morocco is not ready to risk losing the referendum”. He expresses regret over the situation, as it “shows the true weakness of the United Nations, which issues a simple and easily executable resolution that everyone agrees on, then one party changes its mind, and the whole thing collapses.”

He reiterated that Morocco has been obstructing the organization of the self-determination referendum from the beginning, even though it agreed to it.

Bolton also addressed the US administration’s stance on the conflict and Morocco’s normalization with Israel in the 2020 Abraham Accords, which included a US recognition of Morocco’s alleged “sovereignty” over Western Sahara, as well as Morocco’s colonial ambitions in the region.

Regarding Madrid’s stance on the Sahrawi issue, which supports the Moroccan occupation, Bolton confirmed that this “does not help” in resolving the conflict, “because everyone committed to conducting a referendum, but Morocco backtracked”. He added: “The victims are the Sahrawis who are still living in refugee camps.”

Finally, while discussing the disinformation campaigns promoted by Morocco and some of its allies to distort the image of the Polisario Front by linking it to terrorism and extremist groups, the former National Security Advisor emphasized that this is “not true” and is “just slander and propaganda.”

 

Sahara Press Service, Maghrebi.org