Excellency Ambassador Marta Betanzos Roig
Spanish Embassy in Portugal
Excellency Mrs Ambassador
It is with great regret that we address the Spanish Diplomatic Representation to protest against the recent decision of the President of the Government Pedro Sánchez to officially consider that the autonomy plan proposed by the Kingdom of Morocco in 2007 represents the “most serious, realistic and credible” proposal. for the resolution of the Saharawi conflict. More serious is the statement that this position serves “to guarantee the stability, sovereignty, territorial integrity and prosperity of our two countries”. As is well known, Morocco’s “territorial integrity” means, for this country, the recognition of its sovereignty over the non-autonomous territory of Western Sahara.
We were astonished by the background and the form, both in consonance. A position taken not discussed with any political body in the country, which was partially revealed by the other party, and whose full content ended up being published by a newspaper and not by the government itself, is disturbing and revealing. It only makes sense because those who decided to take this path knew that they would not have the approval of either the majority of political leaders, or the two main representative bodies – Senate and Congress – or the Spanish citizens. In a democracy, such a situation is incomprehensible and dangerous.
The explanations about the background are not convincing. If we accept them, they show a fragile country, only concerned with itself, disdainful of International Law and complicit in the continued violation of the Human Rights of the Saharawi people. Unacceptable. If we interpret them, we find a foreign policy submissive to a corrupt regime, violating the human rights of its own people and of those it subjugated almost five decades ago, in defiance of international law. Rewarding blackmail is equally unacceptable. It is useless: the breath will raise the permanent pressure stake until all objectives are reached.
We have followed for many years the struggle of the people of Timor-Leste against the illegal occupation of their homeland, which culminated in the exercise of their inalienable right to self-determination. No government can decide the fate of another people, only the Saharawi people will be able to pronounce themselves, through a referendum, on their future.
We all know – and the General Court of the European Union was the most recent international instance to confirm this – that Western Sahara is a separate and distinct territory from Morocco, that the latter does not have sovereignty over that area, and that the Frente POLISARIO is the representative of the Saharawi people. Spain, like many other countries, will not be able to ignore it forever. One day it will have to assume its responsibility as the Administrative Power that made a terrible political mistake in 1975. We sincerely hope that that moment will come as soon as possible, because then Spain will set an example of courage in favor of peace and development, which the entire Mediterranean region will benefit.
Accept, Madam Ambassador, our best regards.
The direction of the Portugal-Western Sahara Friendship Association
March 25, 2022
