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Algeria, Polisario ‘concerned’ over Morocco’s purchase of US F-16 fighters

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Morocco’s acquisition of a first batch of 24 F-16 fighter jets from the United States has raised concerns form the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, but observers say Morocco’s move is part of an air force modernization program not designed to threaten neighbors.

Four F-16s were delivered to Morocco and another seven would be delivered at the beginning of 2012 and the remaining 13 in the following months, Major General Margaret Woodward of the US Air Force told reporters on Thursday in the southern city of Marrakesh, according to AFP.

The Benguerir air base north of Marrakesh took delivery of the aircrafts in a ceremony attended by senior officers of the Moroccan and US military, the MAP news agency reported.

The 24 F-16s, the CD block 50-52 model, were among the most modern versions available, Mr. Woodward said.

The contract with the United States, which includes the sale of equipment, services and pilot training, is worth an estimated $2.4 billion (1.7 billion euros).

The F-16s competed with the Rafale jet produced by France’s Dassault to win the Moroccan deal.

The Polisario Front on Friday expressed “deep concern about the dangerous path adopted by Rabat” in acquiring US F-16 combat aircrafts.

“The acquisition of US F-16 fighter jets by Morocco concerns our government at the highest level. This encourages Morocco to continue its policy of stubbornness based on occupying the Western Sahra by military force,” the Polisario Front said in a statement.

But Abdel-Fattah Fathi, expert in the Western Sahara issue, told Al Arabiya that the guerilla group’s concerns were simply part of a media war waged by proxy for the Algerian government.

Algeria has been listed by the Sweden-based think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) as the biggest spender on armament in North Africa. In 2009 Algeria’s military spending was 40 percent of the total amount spent in the region.

"The states of the Middle East and North Africa have been regarded as potentially lucrative markets for arms exporters thanks to the resource revenue windfall of recent years,” according to SIPRI.

Arezki Daoud, a leading analyst on North African affairs and editor of the North African Journal, wrote in a recent article on defense spending in North Africa that “Algiers sees the lack of resolution over the Western Sahara conflict as a reason to worry about Morocco.”

“Although we do not believe Morocco and Algeria will ever resort to a military conflict, the two could use their military strength to somewhat influence negotiations on the outcome of the conflict.”

An eighth session of UN-led informal negotiations between Morocco and the Polisario Front on the Western Sahara ended without major breakthrough in the two parties’ positions in July in a New York City suburb.

Western Sahara is a former Spanish colony annexed to Morocco in 1975.

Rabat is proposing significant autonomy for Western Sahara with a local government and a sovereign parliament.

The Polisario Front, supported by Algeria, rejects the Moroccan plan and claims the people of Western Sahara have a right to self-determination. Morocco says the autonomy plan is a form of self-determination, but Polisario insists on a referendum.