CORCAS chief said, in an interview run on Sunday by the Las-Palmas-based "Canarias 7" daily "Polisario weapons are not controlled, which concerns the international community because the situation is a threat for the whole Africa representing a favorable zone for groups, hostile to democracy, security and peace. For this reason, we have to resolve the conflict" over the Sahara.

   The Sahara dispute erupted in 1975 when the Algeria-backed "Polisario" claimed to separate the Moroccan southern provinces from the motherland when retrieved by the latter from Spanish rule under the Madrid accords.

   Ould Errachid, who had recently visited the Canary Islands declared, that the Archipelago will also profit from stability, not only because the autonomy solution under Moroccan sovereignty will guarantee peace, but also because the Islands will become a very important commercial associate.

   He added that the autonomy solution under Moroccan sovereignty will also help to resolve the illegal immigration issue and promote bilateral relations in various fields such as fishing, oil, and tourism.

    Ould Errachid recalled that the UNO recognizes there is an impasse regarding the Sahara issue as shown by the last UN Secretary General report, adding the autonomy solution, as proposed by morocco, is constructive.

    Asked if the Polisario chief would accept this proposal, Ould Errachid affirmed that Mohamed Abdelaziz father, CORCAS member, daily says that his son will accept the autonomy solution under Moroccan sovereignty.

    CORCAS president added ”the UN is aware of the current situation in the Sahara and convinced that there is no other solution. The European Union has recognized the Moroccan sovereignty by approving a fishing agreement”.

    Ould Errachid insisted on autonomy as a unique solution to the Sahara conflict.

CORCAS head banks on Canary Islands 'mediating role' to solve Sahara issue
Las Palmas, June 5 - Chairman of the Royal Advisory Council (CORCAS), Khalihenna Ould Errachid underlined the "mediating role" the Canary Islands can play to "convince Polisario of the advantages of the autonomy project."
    Ould Errachid refers to the project Morocco is devising -large autonomy to the southern provinces under Moroccan sovereignty- to solve the Sahara issue, which opposes the kingdom to an Algeria-backed separatist group, Polisario. The group seeks the separation of Morocco's southern provinces, the Sahara, from the rest of the country.
 
    CORCAS chief, who is leading a delegation to the Canary, affirmed the “autonomy solution, under Moroccan sovereignty will also profit the Archipelago.” “Autonomy is a very advanced form of self-determination.”
 
    Ould Errachid dismissed as “sheer propaganda” from the Polisario human rights breaches in the Sahara.

Autonomy proposal, 'very important step' (Canary Islands official)

   The Moroccan proposal to grant autonomy to the southern provinces is a "very important step," deemed President of the Municipal Council of Gran Canaria, José Manuel Soria.

    In a statement to the press at the end of his meeting, here Friday, with Khalihenna Ould Errachid, President of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs(CORCAS), Soria affirmed that the autonomy proposal "will also be beneficial for the Canary Islands," which have "historical bonds" with Morocco.
 
    He noted that the Moroccan proposal is "important" to establish stability in the whole region and consolidate cooperation and investment relations.
 
    Khalihenna Ould Errachid, for his part, thanked the president of the municipal council for his "firm support" to this important project that aims to find a final solution to the Sahara dispute within the framework of an autonomy under the Moroccan sovereignty.
 
    Morocco has recently proposed to grant a large autonomy to its Southern Provinces, known as the Sahara, to settle the three-decade-long dispute with  the “Polisario”. The latter, backed by Algeria, has been laying claims to the former Spanish colony that Morocco retrieved in 1975 under the Madrid accords.
 
    CORCAS chairperson also underlined that the Canary Islands constitute a “good place” to conduct negotiations between the Sahrawis, in order to find a final solution to this problem, recalling the historical bonds between the Canary Islands and Morocco.
 
    The CORCAS delegation had also been received by several officials of the Canary Islands Autonomous Government.