In an official statement made on Monday on the sidelines of the 7th session of the Moroccan-European Union Association Council, the European Union, which "fully backs the Manhasset negotiations on the Sahara, commended the serious, credible efforts made by Morocco to move ahead towards a political settlement negotiated between the parties under United Nations auspices."

    "The European Union considers it important that the negotiations, conducted by the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy, result in a solution that is politically fair, lasting and mutually acceptable," the statement said.

    The EU Foreign Ministers expressed "full support to the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1813 adopted unanimously on 30 April 2008, which calls on the parties to show realism and a spirit of compromise and to engage in substantive negotiations."

    The document went on to say that "the European Union is convinced that the parties must embark on a more substantive phase of negotiations and must show restraint, good faith, realism, commitment and a spirit of compromise."

    In the same vein, the EU reiterated the particular importance the European Union attaches to subregional cooperation. It commends the acceleration of technical cooperation between the countries of the Maghreb and the proliferation of initiatives by company managers and civil society organisations.

    It also welcomed the resumption of the dialogue between the EU and the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), considering that North Africa is a priority zone for action to counter terrorism and radicalisation, and welcoming Morocco's efforts to combat radicalisation.

    It also considers that cooperation must be developed between the EU, Morocco and the Sahel-Saharan region to combat terrorist networks more effectively.

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