In an article published Thursday by the French daily "Libération", Ould Errachid said that "only autonomy within Moroccan sovereignty (...) can constitute a honorable way out" to the Sahara issue "where there is neither a winner nor a loser," adding that "nobody will  benefit from encouraging separatism today, especially not Algeria."
 
    The daily noted, in this respect, that Algeria "hosts Polisario on its soil and provides it with economic and military support."
 
    CORCAS chairman excluded any "maneuver" from Morocco, for which the Sahara issue is a national cause, stressing that self-determination referendum is "unrealizable, except to change the borders of four countries."

Polisario separatists should either return home or stay eternally in Algeria Tindouf camps, Sahrawi

The Algerian-backed separatist movement Polisario is facing a "historical choice: either return home (to Morocco) part of the projected autonomy to be granted to the kingdom's Southern provinces, or stay eternally in the Tindouf camps," southwestern Algeria, warned the chairman of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs, Khalihenna Ould Errachid.

     In an interview published by the international Pan African and French-speaking monthly "Jeune Afrique", Ould Errachid said the autonomy project will be "specific" to the southern provinces and "the Sahrawis will manage their political, economic, social and cultural affairs while maintaining the umbilical ties that have always existed between us and the throne."
 
    "The Sahrawis living in the camps should return home being convinced that all their legitimate claims have been met," he said, underlining that a large autonomy within the framework of a modern democratic project remains the only solution to the Sahara issue.
 
    Ould Errachid was referring to the autonomy project that Morocco is working out as a solution to the Sahara conflict, triggered in 1975 by the Algeria-backed “Polisario”. The separatists lay claims to Morocco’s Southern Provinces, known as the Sahara. The former Spanish colony was retrieved by Morocco under the Madrid accord signed in 1975.
 
    To shed light on this project, a CORCAS delegation wrapped up on Sunday a visit to the USA, where it met several administration officials, prominent NGOs, think tanks, religious and community leaders, the Moroccan-American community and also several US congressmen who, according to Ould Errachid, have voiced their appreciation for the autonomy project proposed by the North African country.

Project on autonomy for Moroccan southern provinces, 'interesting proposal' former French FM

Project on autonomy for Moroccan southern provinces is an "interesting" and "courageous" proposal, stressed, here Thursday, former French Foreign Minister, Hubert Vedrine.
     The statement was made during a meeting with visiting Royal Advisory Council for Sahrawi Affairs (CORCAS) Chairperson, Khalihenna Ould Errachid, who held talks with several French politicians on the Sahara issue that  has been object to a dispute started in the mid-seventies by the Algeria-backed "Polisario" that claims the separation of the provinces from Morocco, after the latter retrieved them from Spanish rule under the Madrid accord. 
 
    Echoing Vedrine, French Socialist party Secretary general in charge of international relations, Maurice Braud said that the Moroccan proposal "comes to be added to the great reforms that the Kingdom has already launched in state of law consolidation, human rights respect and widening of public and individual freedoms."
 
    He noted that his party is "very interested in the work achieved by CORCAS," re-launched last March by King Mohammed VI to find a final solution to the Sahara issue.
 
    In a meeting with Sahrawi associations' representatives, CORCAS chairperson said that Moroccan proposal is “neither a maneuver nor a political tactic to buy time.”
 
    Autonomy under the Moroccan sovereignty is “the only solution to finally settle the Sahara issue,” he said, noting that face to the current deadlock, this proposal is a “historical and ground-breaking project and a unique experience in the Arab and Islamic world and the African continent.”  
 
    This project will allow the entire Moroccan society components participate in building the modern and democratic Morocco, he underlined, noting that this option will allow the UNO settle the Sahara issue with the agreement of all the parties.