▁admin ister ed ▁by ▁Spain ▁for ▁centuries . ▁ ▁Mor oc co ▁has ▁been ▁given ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁major ▁non - N AT O ▁al ly ▁by ▁the ▁US ▁government . ▁Mor oc co ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁country ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁to ▁recogn ise ▁US ▁so vere ig nt y ▁( in ▁ 1 7 7 7 ). ▁ ▁Mor oc co ▁is ▁included ▁in ▁the ▁European ▁Union ' s ▁European ▁Ne igh bour hood ▁Policy ▁( EN P ) ▁which ▁a ims ▁at ▁bringing ▁the ▁EU ▁and ▁its ▁neighb ours ▁closer . ▁ ▁Western ▁Sah ara ▁status ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁conflict ▁over ▁Western ▁Sah ara , ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁the ▁S agu ia ▁el - H am ra ▁and ▁Río ▁de ▁O ro ▁regions ▁is ▁disput ed . ▁The ▁Western ▁Sah ara ▁War ▁saw ▁the ▁Pol is ario ▁Front , ▁the ▁Sah raw i ▁re bel ▁national ▁liber ation ▁movement , ▁batt ling ▁both ▁Mor oc co ▁and ▁Maur it ania ▁between ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁and ▁a ▁ce ase fire ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁that ▁is ▁still ▁in ▁effect . ▁A ▁United ▁Nations ▁mission , ▁M IN UR SO , ▁is ▁task ed ▁with ▁organ izing ▁a ▁refer endum ▁on ▁whether ▁the ▁territory ▁should ▁become ▁independent ▁or ▁recogn ised ▁as ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁Mor oc co . ▁ ▁Part ▁of ▁the ▁territory , ▁the ▁Free ▁Zone , ▁is ▁a ▁mostly ▁un in hab ited ▁area ▁that ▁the ▁Pol is ario ▁Front ▁controls ▁as ▁the ▁Sah raw i