The Position of the European Union on the Western Sahara Conflict

Abstract

The Western Sahara conflict has been embedded in a regional struggle with international implications, involving most of the key regional actors, as well as outside powers seeking to balance their interests with all parties concerned. Thus, the Western Sahara is at the centre of any foreign policy towards the Maghreb region, and this is the case for the European Union, with France and Spain as central actors. For Europe, the historical links with and the proximity of the continent to one of the most unstable regions in the world (the Arab and Muslim worlds) require the closest attention and a strong independent foreign policy. The EU has important strategic and economic interests but also political concerns in the North Africa region. This paper focuses on the evolution of EU policy towards the conflict and the actions taken by the Member States under the influence of the key actors in this issue: France and Spain. It also aims to lay the emphasis upon the limited role of the EU due to a complex policy making-process, as well as the existence of many participants. As will be demonstrated, the weaknesses of the EU foreign policy are not only due to the structure of the Union but also as a result of each state having to defend its own interests and preserve them bilaterally. It will be argued that the conflict resolution, if conducted to its conclusion within the UN framework, would provide the EU with a capacity to resolve conflicts within the international system and an opportunity to affirm its intrinsic external policy, when its overall foreign policy appears scattered if not atomised by the different influences pursued by its member states. Considering the Maghreb's geographical proximity to Europe and the general approach to solving issues at the EU level, this could constitute a breakthrough for an external policy in the making, contrasting with the negligible influence of the EU regarding the Middle East peace process.

Keywords:

• European Union
• Western Sahara
• foreign policy

Notes

¹ The word Maghreb, meaning the West of the Arab World, is commonly used today, as it is considered more appropriate to historically and culturally describe the region.

² Western Sahara became a Spanish protectorate in December1884.

³ The United Nations Mission for a Referendum in Western Sahara.

⁴ It was around 74,000 on the territory.

⁵ Except for defence and foreign policy, all other capacities would be the responsibility of a local government.

⁶ See Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's statement during his official visit to Paris in El-Watan (Algiers), 17 June 2000; see also ‘Bouteflika's reiteration of Algeria's position’, Le Matin, 1 July 2000, and Algérie Presse Service, 17 July 2000.

⁷ It also includes Trade and Commercial relations with foreign countries.

⁸ For instance, under the terms of the fisheries agreement of 22 May 2006, the EU has provided Morocco with €144.4 million over a four-year period; in return, Morocco has allowed 119 European vessels (100 Spanish, 14 Portuguese, 4 French and 1 Italian) to fish in Morocco's Atlantic coastal waters, including the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

⁹ On the right of the people not fully independent and subject to a controversial sovereignty over their territory and their waters, see Bardonet et al. (1983).

¹⁰ The Agreement signed in Brussels on 26 February 1996 included a financial contribution of ECU 500 million, financial compensation of ECU 355 million, and financial assistance for the sustainable development of the fisheries sector in Morocco (ECU 121 million), expansion of scientific research (ECU 16 million), and training schemes for seamen (ECU 8 million).

¹¹ See Legal Opinion of the Legal Service of the Parliament, Doc. SJ-0085/06, 20 February 2006.

¹² See European Union at the United Nations (2005).

¹³ But also Velez de la Gomera, d'Alhucemas, The Chafarines Islands, the Perejil islets.

¹⁴ Around 300 associations.

¹⁵ The author witnessed the anger of the Spanish participants at the conference in Casa Arabe, Madrid, on the Cost of the Western Sahara Conflict, 11 February 2008.

¹⁶ See Agence France Presse, 7 May 2002.

¹⁷ See interview given by Miguel Angel Moratinos to the Spanish newspaper, El Mundo, 11 July 2004.

¹⁸ See ARSO, available online at http://www.arso.org.

¹⁹ Interview of Polisario representatives by the author.

²⁰ See Sarkozy (2007).

²¹ The Barcelona Process, launched by Euro–Mediterranean foreign ministers in November 1995, formed an innovative alliance based on the principles of joint ownership, dialogue and cooperation. Originally, it brought together the EU Member States (15) and 12 states from the southern Mediterranean region.