The French government renews its support to the Moroccan autonomy plan as a solution for the settlement of the Sahara conflict, qualifying it of a remarkable progress and a base of pertinent negotiations. Submitted to the UN Security Council, in April 2007, this plan has constituted a remarkable progress, since “it preserves the right to self-determination, planning to consult the populations of these territories at the end of negotiations, and offers a base for pertinent negotiations to resolve the conflict”, has declared the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alain Juppé assured that, for his government, “only the political dialogue may contribute to reach a realistic, fair, sustainable and mutually political solution” for the Sahara issue.
As a permanent member of the Security Council, has assured Alain Juppé, France would continue « supporting the efforts of informal negotiations », under the UN aegis . France, he deplored, “regrets that the conflict resolution prospects are not, for the time being, put into effects”, despite of four sessions of direct negotiations and eight other informal negotiation rounds, from June 2007 to July 2011, in Manhasset (near New York).

The debated election of Mohamed Abdelaziz for the 11th successive time at the head of the Polisario, did not bring him luck. The held for life leader whose struggle, with the support of Algeria, for the independence of the Western Sahara region, is severely shaken up at present with the rebel of young Sahrawis in Tindouf camps.
The young people, regrouped in the movement of the Sahrawi revolution youth , have manifested their opposition to the Polisario leadership with uninterrupted sit-in in front of the Polisairo headquarters.  At the end, the high spirits of slogans hoisted by the protesters, like the famous “clear off”, have put an end to the Polisario chief’s patience. The latter did not hesitate to use the great means to drive out the protesters. More than 50 militiamen have been sent in the night against the young protesters whose camps they have destroyed with a rare violence.

A severe blow for the Polisario after the approval by the USA of a financial and economic aid program in favour of Morocco. The separatist front which, starting from Algeria, struggles against Morocco for the independence of the Western Sahara region, was destabilized by Washington decision in relation with the American aid granted to “all the regions and territories managed by Morocco, including the Western Sahara”.
President Barack Obama has signed the text of this aid after its approval by the two Congress houses, within the frame of the law regarding the financial year 2012. This decision holds two important messages. The first one is that this aid represents a “tangible consolidation of the American aid to the process of reform in Morocco, including the Southern provinces”, stated Peter Pham, specialist of the Maghreb, Africa and the Sahel, whose opinion is frequently asked by the American Congress. The second one is that while including in this aid the region of the Western Sahara, Washington expresses clearly its support to the Moroccan autonomy plan for the Sahara. A plan which has, many times, been qualified by Washington as being “serious, realistic and credible”.

The Polisario congress organized, regardless of the opposition of a large majority of Sahrawis in Tindouf, seems clearly to be a desperate turning back on the part of the Front leadership, according to the opponents of the separatist movement leadership headed by Mohamed ABdelaziz.
The organization of this congress is intended to cover the “stinging defeat” of the present leaders in the management of the Western Sahara issue, states the Forum supporting the Tindouf autonomists, more known by its acronym FORSATIN. For the latter, the objective of the Polisario leaders is to hide for the thousands of Sahawis in Tindouf, its bitter defeat to find a final settlement to their cause, existing for more than 35 years. The second objective of the congress consists in imposing to Sahrawis in Tindouf the guardianship of the contested Polisario leadership. A subjection which aims at perpetuating the confiscation of the Sahrawis’ right to choose freely their legitimate leaders who defend their interests and their aspirations to reach a final settlement of the Western Sahara conflict. FORSATIN believes, thus, that the present Polisario leadership has complicated the settlement process and led their cause to a deadlock.

The arrest this week in Nouadhibou (North-West of Mauritania) of two Polisario elements having kidnapped in October, the three European aid workers in Rabouni camps, near Tindouf, has unveiled the real face of the Polisario separatists. How big was the surprise and amazement of the humanitarian NGOs and the media namely the Spanish, French and Italian ones while learning about the news of the involvement of the Polisario men in the kidnapping of the Western citizens and their handing over to the terrorist fighters of Al Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (Aqmi). Till this date, these NGOs dedicated to the humanitarian causes as well as hundreds of political formations helped and supported generously the Sahrawi populations sequestrated in Tindouf camps in the South-West of Algeria. Even more than that, they blindly supported the separatists’ causes of the Polisario leaders. Such causes which they defended by all means at any occasion. Today they are sure that among the Polisario militia and officials are, unequivocally, some sections directly affiliated to Aqmi emirs operating in the North of Mali and other parts of the Sahel. After the arrest on Monday of Mamina Laaguir Abdelaziz  Ahmed Baba and Aghdafna Mohamed Ould Hamadi Ahmed Baba, two Sahrawis from the Polisario assumed to be kidnappers of the two Spanish and one Italian humanitarian workers in Tindouf, the Mauritanian security services have announced to be on the track of other suspected people in relation with the kidnapping of the last 23rd October and who are also from the Polisario.

The Moroccan proposal of a large autonomy for the Southern provinces continues attracting the support of democratic countries and the international community. The latest one to see in this proposal an acceptable solution for the settlement of this old conflict of the Western Sahara, is the British Parliament. In a report on the anticipated legislative organized on 25th November in Morocco, the House of Commons has qualified of being “a serious initiative” the autonomy plan presented by Morocco for the settlement of the artificial conflict aiming its territorial integrity.
“In 2007, Morocco has made a serious initiative to make the negotiations progress (on the Sahara issue), by offering an autonomy to this territory under the Moroccan sovereignty”, reminds in its report, the British legislative institution.
Prepared on behalf of the members of the Lower House of Westminster Parliament, the report reminds also that the former personal envoy of the UN Secretary General for the Western Sahara, Peter Van Walsum has concluded before resigning in 2009, that “independence was not a realistic option” to settle this conflict.