Algeria Condemns French Backing of Moroccan Sovereignty in Western Sahara

Algeria has strongly criticized France's decision to support an autonomy plan for Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty. Algeria insists on a UN-backed self-determination referendum and deems Morocco's presence an occupation. The French Foreign Ministry has not yet responded to Algeria's denunciation.

Algeria expressed "great regret and strong denunciation" on Thursday about the French government's decision to recognize an autonomy plan for the Western Sahara region "within Moroccan sovereignty".

Algeria was informed of the decision by France in recent days, an Algerian foreign ministry statement added. The ministry also said Algeria would draw all the consequences from the decision and hold the French government alone completely responsible.

The French Foreign ministry did not immediately comment on the Algerian statement. Algeria's position on the Western Sahara conflict is to implement a United Nations plan which includes a self determination referendum. Algeria considers Morocco's presence in the Sahara an occupation.

Morocco considers Western Sahara its own but an Algeria-backed independence movement, the Polisario Front, demands a sovereign state. Morocco took over most of Western Sahara in 1975 from colonial Spain. That started a guerrilla war with the Sahrawi people's Polisario Front, which says the desert territory in the northwest of Africa belongs to it.

The United Nations brokered a ceasefire in 1991 and sent in a mission to help organise a referendum on the future of the territory, but the sides have been deadlocked since.

(With inputs from agencies.)