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The United States has voiced frustration over the deadlock hampering the resumption of talks on the Sahara, which were relaunched in February under UN auspices. The position was expressed by U.S. ambassador to Morocco Duke Buchan III following his meeting in Rabat with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of MINURSO, Alexander Ivanko.
“The Polisario's recent violence drew resounding international condemnation and their continued refusal to engage seriously on the future of the Sahrawi people threatens progress,” the U.S. diplomat said.
He added: “The U.S. remains committed to peace through Morocco's Autonomy Proposal - but peace requires partners willing to negotiate towards a brighter future.”
The day before, the Polisario’s “foreign minister,” Mohamed Yeslam Beissat, blamed the Trump administration for the delay in organizing a new round of talks. “To date, we still have no date for the next round and have received no invitation,” he said in an interview with the Spanish outlet El Español.
It should be recalled that, under United Nations auspices and with the backing of the Trump administration, the four parties concerned, Morocco, Algeria, the Polisario, and Mauritania, agreed during the Washington meeting held on February 23 and 24 to resume discussions in May, following the April session of the UN Security Council devoted to the Sahara issue.
What stance will Washington take in the face of the deadlock?
Duke Buchan’s remarks highlight the growing divergence between Washington and Tindouf over how the conflict should be resolved. While the United States continues to reaffirm its support for Morocco’s autonomy initiative, the Polisario Front’s top diplomat is defending a radically different interpretation.
“We are taking part in the implementation of Resolution 2797, which does not undermine the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination,” Mohamed Yeslam Beissat argued in his interview with El Español. He also claimed that the Polisario’s proposal “is being discussed, just like Morocco’s autonomy plan” during the negotiations.
The persistence of these differences is fueling fears of yet another stalemate in the talks. According to a Moroccan source close to the matter, Washington is seeking to accelerate the diplomatic timetable on the Sahara.
“The number two in U.S. diplomacy, Christopher Landau, made this clear after his talks with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. Otherwise, Washington could move to a plan B.”
“That plan B would consist of accelerating the process launched in June 2025 in the House of Representatives aimed at placing the Polisario on the U.S. list of terrorist organizations. The international condemnation of the May 5 attack on Es-Smara sets a precedent and sends a serious warning to both Algeria and the separatist movement.”
Polisario armed militias had already fired projectiles at Smara on three occasions, in October and November 2023 and again in June 2025, as well as at El Mahbes in November 2024, without prompting any significant reaction from major international powers.
