At around this time of the year 1976, Morocco severed its diplomatic relations with Algeria, on the background of the latter's recognition of the Sahrawi Republic. It has taken several Arab and international mediations to restore normalization that has never ceased to be cautious. Ever since then, the two countries have adhered to a policy of nearly ignoring each other – yet within the context of confrontations that grow harsher or milder to the rhythm of the interplay of factors, in addition to their apprehensions regarding the border and the differences in their approach to regional security challenges. Meanwhile, neither of them has gone as far as stressing the necessity of severing diplomatic relations, nor have the two countries resorted to summoning their ambassadors for consultation, despite all exercising forms of escalation. And even though there remains from the features of diplomatic dialogue only the raising of the two countries' flags in their embassies in Rabat and Algiers, self-control has been a shared commitment, so as for everything not to collapse all at once. The 28th of February, a symbol of the past severance of relations, has gone by this year with a minimum amount of tension, having come in the wake of bridges of dialogue being extended between the two countries. And hopes have broadened to include every capital of the Arab Maghreb, in view of the fact that anything beneficial to Morocco and Algeria will have a direct impact on the situation in the region, which has become more likely to absorb the fact that pending disputes are like some illnesses – one can live with them by taking regular doses of medicine and remaining under constant observation. And just as it would have been difficult for Algeria to appear in its dialogue with Morocco as if it were bartering with an issue to which it has devoted policies and stances, it would have been difficult for Morocco to exclude the issue of the Western Sahara from any arrangements concerning relations with Algeria. Indeed, had it not been for this reason, its relations with Algeria would have remained devoid of causes for tension. A blatant example of the way the two countries have dealt with the problems connected to this issue lies in the fact that the ceasefire has persisted since 1991 for one fundamental reason, namely that Algeria as the country hosting the fighters of the Polisario Front has fulfilled its commitment of not allowing a single bullet to be fired from its soil. And the truth is that Morocco has in return taken care to respect the legal status of the buffer zone east of the security wall. The Algerians have asserted numerous times that they could not wage a war against Morocco over the issue of the Western Sahara. Nevertheless, making an exception for war by means of weapons does not rule out other fields for mutually exchanged conflicts that sometimes have a stronger impact than the commotion of weapons. Yet the two countries have finally reached a point where it would be possible to put these negative signs behind them – which in itself represents a development that indicates a high level of maturity.. Indeed, for Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to declare that his country will continue to encourage both sides to move forward with dialogue within the framework of respecting international law falls in line with Security Council resolutions that have invited the two neighboring countries to cooperate with the United Nations and each other in order to ensure the success of the negotiations. And regardless of the principle of neighborliness, Algeria and Mauritania have taken part in every round of the negotiations under the umbrella of parties directly or indirectly concerned, which means that the role they play exceeds that of offering advice. The paradox is that when Mauritania heads to the negotiation table on the Western Sahara issue, its neutral stance is unambiguous, and what is asked of it at the most is to maintain its neutrality so as to help narrow the gulf of disputes. Algeria's situation, on the other hand, is quite different – whether at the level of influencing the course of negotiations or in terms of members of the Polisario Front being present on its soil. One should note within such a framework that Security Council resolutions have requested that Algeria help conduct a census of Sahrawi refugees, especially as such a request has never at any time been made of Mauritania, although it provides asylum to a large number of people of Sahrawi descent. Closer to encouraging the progress of negotiations would be for Algeria to put its weight into helping to shape the features of a historical solution that would go beyond all the considerations that have piled up over many long decades. And clearly nothing is required of Algeria in light of current changes but to let Morocco and the Polisario exchange their last bullets. Then numbers and dates will lose all meaning, and the 28th of February will become a mere passing event on the horizon of relations open to all forms of cooperation and to consecrating peace and stability.
