Russia Reaffirms Support for Consensual Solution to Sahara Issue

Russia has once again distanced itself from the maneuvers of Algiers and its proxy, the Polisario, by stating that only a political solution would settle the regional dispute over Morocco’s southern provinces.

President Putin’s Representative for the Middle East and Africa Mikhael Bogdanov has reiterated that Russia backs a political solution to the Sahara issue much to the disappointment of Algiers and its creation, the Polisario.

Bogdanov expressed Russia’s position following talks with a Polisario envoy to Moscow stressing the need for continuing efforts to find a fair solution to the conflict.

Much to the disappointment of the Algerian news agency, which echoes anti-Moroccan position, Bogdanov did not mention “a referendum on self-determination,” an option that has proven unfeasible due to disagreements over who is entitled to vote.

The UN has encouraged the parties to the conflict to seek a consensual solution describing Morocco’s autonomy plan as a serious, credible and realistic solution.

Algeria for the first time has been invited to direct talks by the UN envoy Horst Kohler, a move that shows that the UN is realizing that no solution can be found without a positive involvement of Algeria, which has created, hosted, armed and funded the Polisario militias for over four decades.