HIBAPRESS – Shafiq Anouri
The recent speech of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, addressed to senior military leaders in his country, carried unprecedented signals about the possibility of "El Mouradia Palace" accepting the autonomy proposal as a solution to the Moroccan Sahara dispute.
Although Tebboune reiterated in his recent speech to senior military leaders phrases adopted by the Algerian state regarding the Moroccan Sahara issue, his overall language was unprecedented, avoiding mentioning "referendum" and "independence." He acknowledged that "some great powers are seeking to solve the problem," expressing his hope that they would succeed and that those he called "Sahrawi brothers" would be given an opportunity for "self-determination." The noteworthy point is that even while immersed in his country's slogans on the issue, Tebboune avoided uttering the phrase "independence," cutting it off before completing half of its letters, emphasizing that "we should not be more Sahrawi than the Sahrawis." Tebboune continued in this context, stating that Algeria would accept any solution accepted by the Sahrawis, which confirms the accuracy of reports that spoke of American pressure on "El Mouradia Palace" to accept the Moroccan autonomy initiative. It is worth noting that the autonomy initiative, presented by Morocco to resolve the conflict, is considered a form of exercising the right to self-determination in accordance with international law and United Nations resolutions.
