Polisario Front says Morocco's autonomy plan should go to referendum

Western Sahara independence movement, the Polisario Front, said on Thursday it would potentially be ready to accept an autonomy plan proposed by Morocco.

The big catch is that it would only do so if the Sahrawi population validates it in a referendum, that included independence as one of the options.

Polisario’s chief diplomat, Mohamed Yeslem Beissat, said it presented an “expanded proposal” the United Nations on Monday.

This includes three options as provided for by international law: independence, integration, and a pact of free association, which it said could resemble Morocco’s proposal.

Beissat said that while the movement was taking a step towards the Moroccans, discussing its autonomy proposal outside the framework of a referendum was not conceivable.

The Security Council is set to review a new resolution on the fate of the region on 31 October, amid pressure to reach a solution to end the 50 year conflict.

A growing number of African, Arab, and Western nations have tilted towards backing Rabat’s plan for autonomy of the disputed region, under the kingdom’s sovereignty.

Western Sahara was a Spanish colony until 1975, and has since been largely run by Rabat which considers it an integral part of Morocco.

The Algeria-back Polisario Front, which controls land along the territory's eastern border, believes the Sahrawi people have the right to self-determination.