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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Mauritania
Index
The Moroccan Factor
Mauritania's role in the Western Sahara conflict was heavily
influenced by perceived and real threats of Moroccan
expansionism. In the 1950s, Morocco advanced its concept of
Greater Morocco, which included all Mauritanian territory, based
on an historic (if currently moribund) allegiance to the Moroccan
sultan as a political and religious leader. To make matters
worse, most of the Arab League states, the Soviet Union, several
progressive African states, and groups within Mauritania, as
well, supported that position. For example, Mauritanian Entente
leader Babana had claimed that a union with Morocco would protect
the rights of the Maures from encroachments by the black
population.
Even after Morocco finally had recognized Mauritanian
independence in 1969--nine years after it had been granted by
France--and had withdrawn its claim to Mauritanian territory, the
Daddah government remained suspicious of Moroccan intentions.
Thus, Mauritania favored using the Western Sahara as a buffer
between it and Morocco, either by controlling all or part of the
Western Sahara or by creating an independent state.
Data as of June 1988
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