"The Moroccan Initiative, which is indicative and not exhaustive, remains open to negotiation", stressed the participants, experts, lawyers and university professors from Spain France and Morocco, highlighting "the importance of its analysis from a constitutional and administrative viewpoint".
They stressed in this context the importance of the general theoretical framework of the regional autonomy statute and the legal and constitutional guarantees for the success of this daring project, outlining the state’s powers and the region beneficiary from autonomy in order to avoid any interference.
The participants in this international symposium, organized by the International Faculty of Comparative Law of Francophone States under the University of Perpignan via Domitia (France), the Catalan Center of Research and Studies and Moroccan Journal of Local Administration and Development (REMALD), stressed "the importance of a constitutional flexible conception" of the Autonomy Statute, while referring to other international experiences to define certain technical points.
They also felt that the success of an autonomy statute remains dependent on financial resources that would be allowed, stressing the need to preserve the principle of solidarity between regions.
The meeting, to which journalists, politicians and Spanish, Moroccan and French academics also took part, emphasized the need to adopt a progressive methodology in establishing the legal framework governing the Statute of Autonomy.
"The Moroccan proposal to grant autonomy to the Sahara region takes model from the best autonomy standards at the international level," they said.
During the meeting, held at the headquarters of the Catalan Institute of Studies in Barcelona in the framework of the Moroccan Spanish scientific cooperation participants also stressed the need to take advantage from different European experiences and other autonomy requirements.
Experts and scholars have also noted the need to support scientific research between the Moroccan and European academics in terms of autonomy and learn more about the Moroccan Initiative.
The meeting was also an opportunity to conduct a comparative analysis of some of the experiences of autonomy in the world including Spain, France, Italy, Great Britain and the USA.
The Moroccan initiative to negotiate a statute of autonomy for the Sahara has undergone in this context, a comparative analysis with other experiences of regional autonomy in Europe including the experience of Catalonia.
Participants stressed in this context, the need to ensure suitable conditions for the implementation of autonomy including the section on human resources and skilled political elites.
The international symposium on "the status of regional autonomy in Comparative Law", revolved around three main axes, namely "the Moroccan initiative for regional autonomy", "the autonomous statute of Catalonia and the Spanish Constitution" and on "different international experiences of regional autonomy".
The symposium provided an opportunity to study in an objective manner the Moroccan Initiative, which reflects the commitment of the Kingdom for a just and final political solution over the Sahara.
The meeting focused mainly on the assessment of regional autonomy as a solution for appropriate peace, a realistic and pragmatic approach to the conflict, considered serious and credible by the United Nations Security Council and a large portion of the international community.
Source: MAP
-News on Western Sahara issue/ Corcas-