In early 1975, Morocco and Mauritania agreed to comply with the International Court of Justice`s decision on the status of the Spanish Sahara, but when the Tribunal ruled in October 1975[5] that neither country had the right to claim sovereignty over the territory, both governments decided to ignore the decision. In November 1975, they concluded the Madrid agreements with Spain, under which Morocco acquired two-thirds of the territory north, while Mauritania acquired the southern third. The agreement also provided that Spain would retain shares in the mining company Bu Craa. Mauritania accepted the agreement, probably rightly, to say that Morocco, with its superior military power, would otherwise have absorbed the entire territory. [6] [7] The agreement was fiercely rejected by Algeria and the Polisario Front, which continued to commit to independence. Algeria sent a high-level delegation to Madrid to pressure Spain not to sign the agreements and began, in early 1975, to support the Polisario Front militarily and diplomatically. Algeria officially saw its opposition as a way to stop the UN Charter and fight colonialism, although many observers felt that Algeria`s action was more intended to counter Morocco`s influence and gain access to the Atlantic Ocean. A long-standing rivalry between the two countries has contributed to the tense relations. [Citation required] Under the terms of the treaty`s publication, Spain agreed to decolonize the Sahara and leave the territory before 28 February 1976.
In the meantime, the region would be managed by the Spanish Governor General, supported by two Moroccan and Mauritanian vice-governors who would respect the public opinion of the Sahara, as expressed by the Yemaa. (…) With regard to the Bu Craa deposits (a phosphate mine), Spain would retain 35% of the shares of Fosfatos de Bucraa, S.A., Fosbucraa, and some of the 65 per cent that would go to Morocco would probably be allocated to Mauritania. According to some reports, among the three signatory countries, there were agreements not made public that satisfied Spain with regard to its fishing rights and inserted a postponement of new Moroccan demands for presidencies and compensation for repatriated Spanish and Canarian civilians. (p. 175) The royal order informed the foreign authorities of the aforementioned agreement of 26 December 1884 [in French] [Spanish of origin], and Spain informed the Secretary-General that on that date it had terminated its presence in Western Sahara and relinquished its responsibilities on the territory, so that it was effectively left in the respective controlled areas of Morocco and Mauritania.
