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 As any occupied territory, i.e. Kuwait City in 1991, Paris in 1940... the invaders put their flag on the representative buildings, this doesn´t mean this flag represents the real nation of this land. You must consider 2 kind of ""inhabitants"" those previous to invasion, and the ""new ones"" moved as colonial population from Morocco to gain control of the land. Of course there could be external interest in the independence, but, away from this interests, there are several UN resolutions recognising Western Sahara rights to be a nation, starting with the UN asking Spain, former metropoli, for decolonization to a free territory, same as France did with Morocco itself. So as, RASD or WS IS a state, but military occupied yet.   Tamaran"