Answering questions asked by Spanish journalists during a press conference following the 8th session of the Morocco- EU association council, Mr fassi- Fihri underlined that the so-called  aminatou Haidar has chosen “ for the first time, to relinquish her nationality, and hand back her passport to the Moroccan authorities while a second informal negotiation, within the UN is being  considered .

 Aminatou Haidar is not a human rights activist. The case of Human rights has been settled in Morocco within the justice and recommendation commission. She received a compensation of 45. 000 euro. This commission is valid for all Moroccans, and Haidar has presented herself as a Moroccan” he explained. Fassi Fihri recalled that Haidar was born in Tata outside the Sakia-El hamra and Oueld Eddahab zone. She has caused herself this situation, the minister said. “Let us not reverse responsibilities. For Morocco and the Moroccan people, the passport is a highly symbolic document. We can not use it when it is convenient and eject it when it is not may be the situation is different in Europe, but certainly not in Morocco “he added.

 Fassi Fihri said that Haidar “was not at any moment, worried, kidnapped or sequestered” as a number of Spanish media outlets falsely reported.  “She was in touch with her family and when she rejected her Moroccan nationality, she returned to the Canary islands where she came from, as she did not meet the normal requirements of access to Morocco”

 “She was able to enter the Spanish soil because she has a resident permit.  And the Spanish residence permit was delivered to her on the basis of the Moroccan identity card “fassi Fihri said. “The Spanish government wanted to settle the case of Aminatou Haidar by offering her a political asylum, but she turned the Spanish offer down. She also turned down another offer to exceptionally grant her the Spanish nationality and passport” he explained.
  Thus, she refused a way out solution “called humanitarian, because she is not in the humanitarian.  She is in the political logique, with instructions given to her from elsewhere” said the minister.

 It is these sponsors who are responsible for the stability in the region and the settlement of the Sahara issue, he said, wondering why the Spanish media does not cover more important issues, such as the sequestered population in the Tindouf camps, south- western Algeria. “Why doesn’t the high commissioner for refugees visit these camps and make a census, and make sure in conformity with its mandate the protection of these people? And what is the humanitarian situation of several thousands of persons?

“A question that the Spanish media does not ask “he deplored.

 “These people have got no right to return freely to Morocco in order to join their families and on a temporary ground work freely in Algeria, or somewhere else in accordance with the humanitarian international law. They are the only case of refugees in the world who do not enjoy the right of protection from HCR “he said

 For Mr Fassi Fihri, the Algerian authorities condition the normalization of bilateral relations with Morocco and the building of the Maghreb by the resolution of the Shara issue, deploring that the union for the Maghreb (UMA) is not, in the context of blockage, a real partner for the European Union.

Answering a Spanish journalist about the authorisation of return of Aminatou Haidar that Morocco granted, Mr fassi Fihri explained that the kingdom” has never allowed haidar’s return ,  the Spanish government has been immediately informed of this decision” As to the Spanish - Moroccan relations, the minister has underlined that for years, both countries “are building patiently these relations for the mutual interest “

 We have done a lot to build, when it comes to immigration Spain discusses the matter with Morocco. The trade, economic and investment perspectives and more over the euro-Mediterranean partnership, are discussed with Morocco, not with those who refuse the Maghreb “he said

 “we notice in Morocco that the negotiations do not evolve because of the rigid and close position of the other parties, Algeria and Polisario, whereas the security council calls for a compromise and a political negotiated solution, and the security council calls for a negotiation on the basis of realism and compromise, unfortunately the other parties proved no realism, and no compromise” Mr Fassi Fihri concluded.

 Source: MAP
 - News on Western Sahara issue / Corcas