Morocco's Interior Minister, noted that the kingdom's initiative to grant substantial autonomy to its southern provinces, the Sahara, presented during this first round, is "the best guarantee and the best form of reconciliation to be offered to the people of the region."
"We hope the discussions will make people think and that the other party will, through the upcoming round of negotiations, be able to appreciate all the efforts and seize this historical opportunity to end the ordeal of a part of the Sahrawi population," said Chakib Benmoussa.
Speaking at a joint press conference with several senior Moroccan delegation members, Mr Benmoussa noted that the Moroccan autonomy proposal, which was welcomed by the international community, offers to the population, "living today in the camps the possibility to return to their country, contribute to the development of the region and enjoy political, economic and social rights."
Commenting on the two-day talks, the Moroccan minister said the kingdom’s initiative that was presented in Manhasset "is based on a compromise approach that secures self-determination and management of political, economic and social affairs by the region population," deploring the fact that the stance of the Polisario separatists "has not changed."
“It is obvious that any other solution that crystallizes division and separates populations by adopting extreme ways would create more problems and cannot constitute a sustainable solution that secures peace and stability in the region,” he added.
Echoing him, deputy Foreign Minister, Taieb Fassi Fihri noted that the kingdom "has worked restlessly" to come up with a "win-win solution," while "the Polisario decided at the last minute and in haste to submit a so-called new proposal which is no new, as it simply takes up the already-known positions that cannot be implemented according even to the United Nations."
As to the Chairman of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs (CORCAS), Khalihenna Ould Errachid, he called on the Polisario to renounce to separatism, noting that it is not an independence movement, but a separatist movement because it does not represent the whole Sahrawi population.”
“We believe that these negotiations will teach this political and military movement – the Polisario – the culture of compromise and consensus to solve such a complex and complicated issue,” he concluded.
The first round of talks on Sahara between Morocco and the Algerian-backed separatist movement "Polisario" concluded, on the day, with the parties promising to resume the negotiations in August.
In a communiqué issued after the talks, United Nations Secretary general's Personal Envoy for the Sahara, Peter van Walsum said the parties had agreed to continue their negotiations in Manhasset in the second week of August.
These talks were held in accordance with Security Council resolution 1754 which called on parties to enter into negotiation “without preconditions and in good faith” to reach a political solution to the 32-year-old dispute over the former Spanish colony that was ceded by Spain to the North African country by virtue of the 1975 Madrid Accords.
Earlier, U.N Secretary General's Spokesperson Michèle Montas described as "very difficult" these talks held on June 18-19, at the Manhasset Greentree Estate, an exclusive venue on the outskirts of New York City, used by the United Nations Secretary General and various UN agency heads for retreats and high-level meetings.
The Moroccan delegation to these talks, led by Minister for the Interior Chakib Benmoussa, included Deputy Foreign Minister, Taieb Fassi Fihri, Deputy Interior Minister, Fouad Ali Al Himma, chairman of the CORCAS, head of Morocco’s Intelligence (DGED), Mohamed Yassine Mansouri, Morocco’s ambassador to the U.N. El Mostafa Sahel.
The talks, carried out under U.N. auspices, were attended by representatives from neighboring Algeria and Mauritania who were “consulted separately.”