Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume XXIV, North Africa

454. Telegram From the Embassy in Algeria to the Department of State¹

1152.

Algiers, February 29, 1988, 1253Z

SUBJECT

• Tunisian Mediation of Sahara Conflict.

1. Confidential—Entire text.

2. Tunisian Ambassador Abdelhamid Escheikh says that Tunis has offered to use its good offices to help find a solution to Western Sahara problem. According to him, the Algerians have agreed but Rabat has yet to respond.

3. Asked what Tunisia had in mind, Escheikh said that one possibility was to create Saharan state out of that portion of Sahara which had come under Mauritanian jurisdiction after Spanish withdrawal. Escheikh noted that Mauritania had abandoned its claim to this territory and Morocco had not claimed it.

4. Ambassador Escheikh agreed that Polisario would find this an inadequate solution, but he thought Polisario might accept such a solution if they could leave open the possibility of further negotiations with Morocco on northern portion of Sahara.

5. Comment: We recall similar proposal being, floated some months ago by Spanish official.² It looks somewhat farfetched but does have some appeal in that Morocco ends up controlling only significant portion of Sahara and Algeria is able to secure recognition of a Saharan state. We would be interested in views of Embassy Rabat and Nouakchott.³

Johnstone

1. Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D880172–0245. Confidential; Priority. Sent for information to Tunis, Rabat, Paris, Madrid, and Nouakchott.
2. Not further identified.
3. No response from the Embassy in Rabat has been found. In telegram 865 from Nouakchott, March 2, the Embassy reported: “We take it as a given that the GIRM would welcome any reasonable effort at finding a negotiated solution to the conflict.” The Embassy continued: “On the other hand, if the Tunisians are trying to broker a solution around the idea of creating a rump SDAR state out of the abandoned GIRM territorial claim to the southern third of the Western Sahara, GIRM leaders would be likely to view this possibility with very mixed feelings.” (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D880692–0250, D880180–0670) During a March 28 meeting, Mestiri told Shultz: “Tunisia had tried to make an effort to resolve the Western Sahara conflict, but all progress was stymied by Algeria and Morocco. The UN Secretary General seemed optimistic about his future visit.” (Telegram 99606 to Tunis, March 31; Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D880274–0185)