Riccardo Fabiani

Once Western Sahara is removed from the UN list of non-self-governing territories, the legal and diplomatic scaffolding around it collapses.

While this move would not end the conflict per se, it would remove a major thorn in the side for Morocco and "normalise" the status quo.

By acknowledging the autonomy plan as "the only basis" for resolution and recognising Moroccan sovereignty, foreign governments implicitly recognise Western Sahara as Moroccan and, therefore, not a non-self-governing territory.

These elements of language matter for the future of this conflict.

By precluding other options, Morocco is hoping to 1) force Algeria and the Polisario to change position while 2) paving the way for removing Western Sahara from the UN list of non-self-governing territories.

Morocco clearly prefers the latter option, but will settle for the former as long as it indicates an evolution from previous positions.

Algeria and the Polisario despise both options, but can live with the former.

But this is not just a battle over semantics.

- Calling the autonomy plan "the only basis" for conflict resolution

- Language adopted by France and the US

- Indicates only autonomy is possible and precludes other options

- Usually comes with recognition of Moroccan sovereignty

- Antagonises Algeria and the Polisario

- Calling the autonomy plan "the most serious and credible solution"

- Language adopted by the UK, Spain, Portugal

- Indicates strong support for the autonomy plan, without precluding other options

- Doesn't recognise Moroccan sovereignty

- Doesn't antagonise Algeria and FP

After yesterday's shift on Western Sahara by Portugal, a helpful reminder to all diplomats and non-diplomats of what the various elements of language on this issue mean and their implications:

(A thread)

𝐔𝐊 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 “𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦” 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭

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