Template:Western Sahara lists of positions

State recognition and diplomatic relations with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic


The following lists contain 84 states that currently recognize SADR or had recognized it in the past:
 * 50 have relations with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic;
 * of these 32 have ambassadorial level relations with the SADR (of these 17 are home to Sahrawi embassies);
 * 9 have "suspended" or "frozen" relations;
 * 23 have "canceled" relations or "withdrawn" recognition;
 * 2 have disappeared as sovereign countries.

As of 09 July 2011, South Sudan is the most recent nation to formally recognise the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

States having relations with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic


The following is a list of state governments that actually have diplomatic relations with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as a sovereign nation and as its legitimate representatives the government and institutions established in exile by the Polisario Front and currently based in Tindouf, Algeria. The vast majority of recognitions took place during the Western Sahara War period, between the 1970s and 1980s. Since the 1990s and the 1991 cease-fire agreement, some states have suspended or frozen diplomatic relations with the SADR, some stating they are pending the outcome of the referendum on self-determination.

States suspending relations with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
The relations of the SADR are subject to continuous fluctuation, depending on different factors and the diplomatic activity of Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria, France and Spain.

After recognising an independent Western Sahara, some states have since suspended their relations. Others have chosen a milder option, to "freeze" relations pending the outcome of the referendum on self-determination or for other reasons.

The following is a list of state governments that have, at one point, formally recognized Western Sahara as a sovereign nation and established diplomatic relations with it, but afterwards, for various reasons (mostly economical or political pressions from Morocco), their relations with the SADR were either suspended or "frozen".

States withdrawing or canceling SADR recognition or relations
A number of states that once recognized the SADR have definitely canceled relations and recognition or withdrawn their recognition. Several states have done this mostly because of Moroccan political pressures and economic assistance or investments (phosphates, tourism, fishing...).

According to international law regarding recognition of states, contained in art. 6 of the Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States: "Recognition of a state simply means that the state recognizes it accepts the personality of the other with all the rights and duties determined by international law. Recognition is unconditional and irrevocable".

Therefore, once one state recognizes another as a fellow sovereign state this recognition can't be revoked, except when one of the two ceases to exist. One can only revoke the recognition of a government (e.g. by breaking diplomatic relations with it), not of the state itself.

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States that have disappeared after recognizing the SADR
Two states have disappeared since they recognized the SADR as a sovereign country. Once one state recognizes another as a fellow sovereign state this recognition can't be revoked, except when one of the two ceases to exist. Although the UN does not recognize the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as the SFRY successor, the FRY claims to be such, and pledges to adhere to all ratifications, signatures and recognitions conducted by the SFRY.

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Positions on Western Sahara conflict


The following lists contain the following states and entities:
 * 82 states, the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, the African Union and the European Union are supporting "the right of self-determination of the Sahrawi people" (e.g. the conduction of referendum for status determination),
 * of these 29 states do not recognize the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic;
 * of these 74 states recognize the Polisario Front as the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people;
 * of these 1 state and the EU don't recognize the Polisario Front as the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people;
 * 44 states are supporting Moroccan claims on Western Sahara, but not recognize its sovereignty over it

Some states are listed in both lists, for example when a state is supportive of the "right of self-determination" including the option of autonomy under Morocco sovereignty. Some states are changing their opinion frequently or give separate announcements of support for both Morocco and Polisario Front/SADR (Paraguay, Belgium, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Chile, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Peru, Russia, Sierra Leone, Swaziland).

Some of the states announcing support of the "right of self-determination" in addition already recognize the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Not all of the states that had canceled relations with or withdrawn recognition of SADR have announced support for the Moroccan claims.

The following states and entities have not announced any position:
 * Americas: Bahamas
 * Africa: Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Comoros
 * Europe: Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Liechtenstein, Vatican City, Malta, Luxembourg, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan
 * Asia: Israel, Lebanon, Qatar, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Brunei, Singapore, Philippines, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia
 * Oceania: Tonga, Cook Islands, Samoa, Niue, Palau, Micronesia, Marshall Islands
 * Others: Abkhazia, Kosovo, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, State of Palestine, Somaliland, South Ossetia, Republic of China (Taiwan), Transnistria
 * Sovereign Military Order of Malta

States supporting Sahrawi claims on Western Sahara


Apart from the states that fully recognize the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as the sovereign state of Western Sahara, some other states, although not recognizing the SADR for various reasons, have expressed explicit support to the right of self-determination of the Sahrawi people, which is the principal position of the Polisario Front. Some states that do not recognize the Sahrawi Republic (neither as a state, nor as a government-in-exile) may, however, recognize the Polisario Front as the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people.

States supporting Moroccan claims on Western Sahara
No state recognizes the sovereignty of Morocco over Western Sahara, although many states have expressed support for Moroccan claims, or endorsed the Moroccan autonomy initiative for the territory. Several states have withdrawn their recognition of the SADR or canceled their relations with SADR (close to 20 countries), mostly because of Moroccan pressures and negotiations.

However, some international organizations, as the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, have recognized the sovereignty of Morocco over what it calls its Southern Provinces. Some UN member states have expressed explicit support of Morocco's territorial integrity, in reference to Western Sahara as Moroccan provinces, others have endorsed or complemented the Moroccan proposal of autonomy for the territory, as being credible and serious. Morocco and Sudan are the only countries to make a public declaration of Moroccan sovereignty over the region, but Sudan has since withdrawn that declaration. Morocco's old allies, France and the United States, have provided the kingdom with economic, diplomatic, and military aid, throughout the conflict. Saudi Arabia provided much economic aid as well.

Morocco and the PRC maintain close relations, that have been improving steadily in the past decades. China has shown strong support for Morocco's territorial integrity on numerous occasions, and has welcomed the proposals put forth by Morocco in the peace negotiations. France enjoys close relations with Morocco. It is the kingdom's leading trade partner and the leading source of public development aid and private investments. The country claims neutrality on the Western Sahara issue, despite its military involvement in the Western Sahara War on the side of Morocco and Mauritania (see Operation Lamantin). In 2009 and 2010,  France used the threat of its veto power to block the establishment of Human Rights monitoring by the MINURSO in Western Sahara. France has been a major backer of the Moroccan autonomy plan and in the EU negotiated the concession of the advanced status to Morocco.
 * China (PRC)
 * France


 * United States

While President Barack Obama has yet to announce publicly his stance on the conflict over Western Sahara, President Bill Clinton set a precedent which President George W. Bush followed. Both Presidents Clinton and Bush sided with Morocco and maintained the position that, "Genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty [is] the only feasible solution."

Barack Obama administration disassociated itself from the Moroccan autonomy in 2009, reversing the Bush-backed support to the Moroccan plan, and returning to a pre-Bush position in the issue, where the option of an independent Western Sahara is on the table again.

In April 2009, 229 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, a clear majority and more than 50 more than signed the letter in 2007, called on President Barack Obama to support Morocco’s peace plan and to assist in drawing the conflict to a close. The signers included Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Republican Minority Leader John Boehner. In addition to noting that Western Sahara has become a recruiting post for Radical Islamists, the letter affirmed that the conflict is “the single greatest obstacle impending the security and cooperation necessary to combat” terrorism in the Maghreb. The letter referenced UN Security Council Resolution 1813 (2008), and encouraged President Obama to follow the policy set by President Clinton and followed by President Bush stating, "Genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty [is] the only feasible solution." The Congressmen expressed concerns about Western Sahara's viability. They referenced a UN fact-finding mission to Western Sahara which confirmed the State Department’s view that the Polisario proposal, which ultimately stands for independence, would lead to a non-viable state. In closing, the letter stated, "We remain convinced that the U.S. position, favoring autonomy for Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty is the only feasible solution. We urge you to both sustain this longstanding policy, and to make clear, in both words and actions, that the United States will work to ensure that the UN process continues to support this framework as the only realistic compromise that can bring this unfortunate and longstanding conflict to an end." Commenting on a 2004 free trade agreement with Morocco, US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick stated in a letter to Congressman Joe Pitts, in response to his questioning, "the United States and many other countries do not recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara and have consistently urged the parties to work with the United Nations to resolve the conflict by peaceful means. The Free Trade Agreement will not include Western Sahara."

Status of Western Sahara according to various international organizations
The SADR is also a member of the Asian-African Strategic Partnership formed at the 2005 Asian-African Conference, over Moroccan objections to SADR participation. In 2006, the SADR participated in a conference of the Permanent Conference of Political Parties of the Latin American and the Caribbean (COPPAL).

In 2010, the SADR ambassador to Nicaragua participated in the opening conference of the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN)

In February 22, 1982, the SADR secured membership of the Organisation of African Unity.
 * African Union

The African Union (formerly the OAU) has given the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic full recognition, and accepted it as a member state (which has led Morocco to leave the union. ). Mohamed Abdelaziz, president of the SADR, has been vicepresident of the OUA in 1985, and of the AU in 2002.

The European Union supports the right of self-determination of the Sahrawi people (the MINURSO UN-sponsored referendum), but does not recognize the Polisario Front. Over practical issues such as fishing in the EEZ the EU deals with Morocco as the country currently exercising "jurisdiction, but not sovereignty" over the Western Sahara territory. In addition, members of the EFTA trade bloc have made statements excluding the Western Sahara from the Moroccan-EFTA free trade agreement.
 * European Union

Since 1966, the United Nations request for the celebration of a referendum for enabling the "indigenous population" to exercise freely their right to self-determination. Since 1979, the United Nations have recognized the Polisario Front as the representative of the people of Western Sahara, and considered Morocco as an occupying force.
 * United Nations

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan stressed, in his last report on Western Sahara, to the Security Council:


 * "The Security Council would not be able to invite parties to negotiate about Western Saharan autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, for such wording would imply recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, which was out of the question as long as no States Member of the United Nations had recognized that sovereignty". Spain is still considered as the administrative power, but Morocco however is the de facto administrating power since it controls most of the territory."