"We discussed the Sahara issue. Paraguay has not changed its international stance with regard to this issue," the minister told MAP at the end of a meeting with a Moroccan delegation, led by the chairman of the Advisory Council for Human Rights (CCDH).
He noted that polisario had taken advantage of a particular situation, namely the change of administration in his country, last August, to sow confusion over Paraguay’s stance, pointing out that no polisario representative was invited to the ceremony of inauguration of president Fernando Lugo, on August 15.
He said his country will examine Morocco’s autonomy initiative and "support every idea aimed at reaching an immediate solution" to this regional dispute with the help of the international community.
On bilateral relations, he said a "new era" has been launched in this regard, expressing his country's will to work towards reinforcing relations between the two countries, and wish to "deepen friendship ties with Morocco". In this respect, he announced the opening of two honorary consulates of Paraguay in Morocco in the future, along with an embassy in Rabat afterwards.
The delegation briefed Hamed Franco on the large-scale reforms and projects launched in the kingdom, voicing Morocco’s will to strengthen cooperation relations with Paraguay in all fields.
For his part, deputy speaker of Paraguayan parliament, Sixto Pereira, said his country seeks to build relations based on friendship, brotherhood and cooperation with Morocco.
In a statement to the press at the end of a meeting with the Moroccan delegation, Pereira stressed that the Sahara issue is now in a process of negotiations at the United Nations, and one should wait for its outcome without prejudging its results.
This clarification, he went on, aims to overcome any understanding over this issue, following the transition which took place in his country, insisting that “Paraguay has friendly relations with morocco.”
Asked on polisario’s allegations that his country would set up diplomatic relations with the so-called SADR, he said there is no official document which substantiates these rumors, nor a position of Paraguayan government in this respect.”
Source: MAP
News and events on Western Sahara issue / Corcas