The Algerian ambassador to the United States, Sabri Boukadoum, has defended his country's position on the Western Sahara dispute. In an interview with an American think tank, he insisted that Algeria «does not speak on behalf of the Polisario» and stressed that «no one can impose a solution on the Sahrawis». The diplomat, who benefited from a notably accommodating host, added that Algeria, along with Mauritania, could help facilitate a resolution to the conflict. Boukadoum reiterated Algeria's long-standing stance, claiming that «Western Sahara is a decolonization issue still on the United Nations agenda». He also affirmed that «the Polisario is not a terrorist organization». In Washington, Republican Senator Joe Wilson recently introduced a bill seeking to designate the Polisario Front as a terrorist entity. This move prompted the Algerian ambassador to reach out to Democratic Representative Jimmy Panetta in an attempt to convince him to withdraw his support for the initiative, a lobbying effort that ultimately failed. The ambassador further asserted that Algeria is not a party to the Sahara conflict, calling on «both parties, Morocco and the Polisario Front, to engage in direct negotiations». Boukadoum's remarks come as Omar Hilale, Morocco's permanent representative to the United Nations, has been multiplying media appearances on the international stage.
