Events

Morocco remains committed to negotiations

Morocco remains committed to the UN-led negotiations on the Sahara dispute (opposing the North African country and the Algerian-backed separatist movement "Polisario"), reiterated, here Tuesday, the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, making it clear however that these negotiations should be based on the autonomy and "nothing but autonomy".

Speaking at a meeting with the House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs, National Defense and Islamic Affairs Committee, Taieb Fassi Fihri explained that the UN-facilitated negotiations have been made possible thanks to the autonomy initiative proposed by Morocco to its Southern Provinces, known as the Sahara, which the Polisario seeks to separate from the rest of the Kingdom.

Morocco will not give up a single portion of its territory, insisted Mr. Fassi Fihri who accused the other parties (the Polisario and its mentor Algeria) of doing everything they can to undermine the autonomy initiative that aims at putting an end to the 32-year old dispute over the former Spanish colony. Morocco retrieved the territory in 1975 under the Madrid Accords.

He deplored that Algeria sticks to its stance by refusing any "direct and frank dialogue" for the normalization of bilateral relations, and hence, the building of the regional Arab Maghreb grouping as well as the settlement of the Sahara dispute.

Algeria did not respond to Morocco’s numerous calls in this regard, without even justifying its stance, the minister deplored adding that “things have become clear for the Moroccan people and for the international public opinion.”

Last week, Morocco called on Algeria to re-open its western land border that it closed in 1994 in protest against Morocco’s decision to impose visa on its nationals following a terrorist attack in Marrakech involving an Algerian national.

However, in a bid to ease tension between the two countries, Morocco decided, few years ago, to cancel the visa measure, but despite this unilateral initiative, Algeria continues to reject any call for the reopening of the border.

Regarding the UN-facilitated negotiations on the Sahara, the minister said that Morocco will make a global assessment of the four rounds held so far in Manhasset, New York, and reiterated the kingdom’s readiness to move forward in this process.

During the meeting, the Commission chairman, Fouad Ali El Himma, insisted on the “sacred” nature of the Sahara issue underlining that it tops the country’s national priorities.

Source: MAP
News and events concerning Western Sahara issue / Corcas