The UN Secretary-General's latest report and the Security Council's resolution 1979 on the Sahara are tangible fruit of the Moroccan diplomacy's sustained efforts as part of a proactive approach, in accordance with HM King Mohammed VI's instructions, said Thursday Morocco's Foreign Minister Taib Fassi Fihri.
Speaking at a meeting of the Committee on foreign affairs, national defense and Islamic Affairs in Morocco’s House of Representatives, devoted to review the latest developments of the Moroccan Sahara and the impact of the Arab world’s upheavals on Morocco, the minister said the official diplomacy has maintained direct contact with the UN bodies, in particular the Secretary General and his Personal Envoy, through direct meetings and letters of clarification on all aspects of the Sahara issue.
He welcomed, in this regard, the mobilization and efforts of the House of Representatives and political parties, as part of a well-developed programme for the April 14th.
He stressed that the ongoing consultations with members of the Security Council, Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy, focused on the need to invigorate the process of negotiations on a renewed common basis in order to protect this process of slippage.
They also emphasized on the national human rights mechanisms, set up by HM the King, which were welcomed by the world’s big powers, he said.
He also noted that enshrining in the constitution the advanced regionalization, which will involve primarily Morocco’s southern provinces, as a sign of the Kingdom’s good will and its firm resolve to go ahead in the process of autonomy, was a key factor in strengthening Morocco’s negotiations capacity on the Sahara issue.
He recalled that thirty countries, mostly African, withdrew their recognition of the phantom RASD, during the last decade, and this in harmony with the Moroccan diplomatic efforts.
Morocco is expected to be more vigilant and mobilized to face up to the activities carried out by its territorial integrity’s foes, especially from Algeria, he pointed out.
The minister recalled Morocco’s willingness to continue its cooperation with the Secretary General and his Personal Envoy in order to reach a lasting and consensual solution, based on the Moroccan initiative.
He also emphasized that Morocco is ready to cooperate with countries in the region as part of a sincere will to revive the Arab Maghreb Union.
Regarding the normalization of relations between Morocco and Algeria, Fassi Fihri said that the Kingdom welcomed the UNSG personal envoy’s appeal for the establishment of a methodology of normalizing relations between the two countries, as a significant step to facilitate the successful completion and a final consensus over the Sahara conflict.
For this purpose, he announced Morocco’s willingness to accept any practical proposal involved in this effort, welcoming the start of exchange visits between both countries’ officials.
News concerning Western Sahara issue/ Corcas