Uruguay recognises Western Sahara

The Moroccan Foreign Ministry said: "By this hostile and unfriendly act ... Uruguay assumes the heavy responsibility of striking a fatal blow against the close relations between the two countries.

"This decision constitutes an affront to the unanimous sentiments of the [Moroccan] people."

The Uruguayan Foreign Ministry's website said the Latin American country had established diplomatic relations with the "sole Spanish-speaking Arab nation", referring to Western Sahara's former status as a Spanish colony.

Montevideo said the move demonstrated its commitment to "self-determination, non-interference by other nations in domestic affairs and national sovereignty".

But the Moroccan Foreign Ministry said Uruguay's arguments were "feeble" and "incoherent", and showed "profound ignorance of the actual and historical realities of the region".

Polisario praise

The Polisario Front, which fought a lengthy guerrilla war against Moroccan forces before a ceasefire in 1991, embraced Montevideo's announcement as "a victory for the Sahrawi people in their fight for self-determination".

Moamed Khedad, a Polisario spokesman, said: "This recognition shows the pressing problem of the Western Sahara and the growing isolation of Morocco on the international scene."

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