In a joint plenary session, the two houses of parliament stressed that Morocco will never yield to the fait accompli policy and will use all possible means to defend its territorial integrity.
The presidents of the parliamentary groups expressed conviction that the international community, which backs the Moroccan proposal to grant substantial autonomy to its southern provinces -the Sahara-, is aware that this "unfortunate production" aims to undermine the third round of the UN-led talks on the Sahara, slated for January 7-9 in Manhasset.
This "play, directed and produced by Algeria", said the parliamentarians, reflects Polisario's desperate reaction to the resounding success and the large support to the Moroccan autonomy proposal, which has succeeded to unlock the Sahara issue in a bid to reach a negotiated political solution to this very old conflict.
In a letter sent Thursday to the UN Secretary general, Morocco has strongly denounced the holding of Polisario’s “congress” in Tifariti, deeming it a “violation of the ceasefire agreements” concluded in 1991.
Calling upon Ban Ki-moon to undertake the necessary steps to “face up these provocative and dangerous acts which threaten peace and stability in the region,” Morocco reiterated its “determination to preserve its rights on the whole territory and its rejection of any attempt to introduce a de facto modification in the status of this zone.”
Morocco and the Polisario concluded in 1991 a ceasefire under the supervision of the United Nations that has, ever since, deployed a peace keeping mission in the region called the MINURSO, (French acronym for the United Nations mission in the Sahara).
In implementation of the ceasefire, the North African country withdrew its troops from Tifariti to prevent any clashes, including with the Algerian army, the letter recalled.
The Polisario, which claims independence of Morocco’s Southern Provinces, the Sahara, announced that it would hold its congress in Tifariti on December 14-18. Spain ceded the territory to Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid Accords.
The announcement of the holding of this congress comes few weeks before the third round of UN-led negotiations between Morocco and the Polisario (January 7,8 and 9) in Manhasset, outskirts of New York.