"Switzerland supports the efforts of the United Nations and the central role it plays in the process concerning the Sahara issue," reads the joint statement issued at the end of the visit to Bern by Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, Nasser Bourita.
Switzerland, which "supports a political solution in accordance with international law and the relevant Security Council resolutions", says it "remains convinced that only negotiations will make it possible to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution".
In this sense, it "reiterates the importance of Morocco's serious and credible efforts to find a political solution based on compromise", and "notes, in this context, the autonomy initiative presented by Morocco to the UN Secretary General on 11 April 2007".
Switzerland also encourages all parties to continue their commitment in a spirit of compromise.
The statement also recalls "the thanks of the Kingdom of Morocco for the assistance provided by the Swiss Confederation to facilitate, as host state, the holding of meetings organized in Geneva by the United Nations in the framework of the ongoing political process to find a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution".
At the request of the Moroccan authorities, the Swiss Federal Department had officially indicated, in a verbal note, that there was no official representation of the polisario front at the United Nations Office in Geneva, nor at the Federal Council.
For its part, the Swiss Federal Court had rejected the appeal filed by a national from the southern provinces of the Kingdom challenging the decision of the Swiss authorities to refuse from now on, when renewing his refugee permit, to indicate "Western Sahara" under the heading "nationality".