Spain on Friday declared \u201ca new stage\u201d in its strained relations with Morocco after the Spanish prime minister wrote to the Moroccan king, agreeing that having Western Sahara operate autonomously under Rabat\u2019s rule is \u201cthe most serious, realistic and credible\u201d initiative for resolving a decades-long dispute over the vast African territory.<\/p>\n
This marked an enormous departure from Spain\u2019s earlier stance of considering Morocco\u2019s grip on Western Sahara an occupation. The shift followed months of frosty diplomatic relations and led to the announcement of a flurry of visits by Spanish officials to its southern neighbor.<\/p>\n