During a meeting with Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mustapha Mansouri, Mr. Prieto underlined that his country "will not allow that some people hinder efforts aiming to find a final and just solution to this issue."

    The dispute, opposing the North African country to the Algerian-backed separatist movement "Polisario", started when the latter claimed in 1976 sovereignty over Morocco's southern provinces, the Sahara, that were ceded by Spain to Morocco by virtue of the 1975 Madrid Accords.

    The Chilean Speaker noted that the Sahara issue has witnessed a "very important" evolution thanks to Morocco's "great efforts", in an allusion to the Moroccan initiative to grant substantial autonomy to the Sahara. 

    Morocco presented, last April, a proposal to grant substantial autonomy to its Southern Provinces, to the United Nations, which facilitated two rounds of talks between the parties in Manhasset (outskirts of New York) in June and August. A third round is scheduled but no date or venue has been set yet.

    Describing the autonomy project as "modern, realist and intelligent," Mr. Prieto called for a "quick" settlement of this issue, taking into consideration its humanitarian aspect.

    Touching on bilateral relations, Speaker of the Chilean Senate, Eduardo Frei, voiced his country’s resolve to consolidate cooperation with Morocco within the framework of an integrated vision of bilateral relations, which takes into consideration the strong potentials of the two countries. 

    During a meeting with the deputy-Speaker of the House of Advisors, Mohamed Fadili, and presidents of the House’s groups and commissions, Mr. Frei called for stronger ties between the two countries, notably at the economic level.

    The two Chilean speakers, who are heading an important parliamentarian delegation, have met several Moroccan officials, including Prime minister, Abbas El Fassi, and head of the Advisory Council for the Saharan Affairs (CORCAS), Khalihenna Ould Errachid.