Independence as an option to settle the Sahara issue can only be seen as a "less promising start for a viable state", Director of the Africa Project at the New York-based National Committee on American Foreign Policy said Thursday in Wahsinghton.

Morocco's autonomy proposal for its Southern provinces, the Sahara, is a "new platform for discussions", former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, David Welch said here Thursday.

The President of the Advisory Council on Human Rights (CCDH), Mr. Ahmed Herzenni, called on Monday in Geneva, the Polisario separatists to stop exploiting the humanitarian speech to serve political interests and dubious and suspicious ambitions.

Thousands of Moroccans living in Spain and Europe on Sunday took to the street in Granada to voice support for Morocco's initiative to grant autonomy to its southern provinces (the Sahara).
Many Spaniards and Arab students in Spain also joined the demonstration, which took place in a public square before the Congress Palace in Granada.

A demonstration to support the autonomy project in the southern provinces of the Kingdom under Moroccan sovereignty, was held Thursday afternoon at Las Palmas, with the participation of several members of the Moroccan community in the island of Gran Canaria.