Rabat calls Sahara issue a Moroccan-Algerian geopolitical problem
Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 8/2/2003

The Sahara Issue is a geoplitical problem essentially between Morocco and Algeria, which hosts on its soil the separatists and their arms, said Moroccan foreign affairs and cooperation minister, Mohamed Benaissa.

Morocco has always been ready to discuss this issue with Algeria, being convinced that "sooner or later, we, Moroccans and Algerians, have to study this matter in a positive and constructive manner within a spirit of brotherhood, bearing in mind the aspiration to building a unified Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), Benaissa told Al-Jazeera TV channel.

UMA is a regional grouping set up in Marrakesh in 1989 by Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania. However, the bloc failed to take off mainly due to Algeria's direct involvement in the Moroccan Sahara issue through extending political and logistic backing to the Polisario separatists, who claim the independence of the Moroccan southern provinces.

Benaissa underlined that Algeria wants to reactivate bilateral relations with Morocco without discussing the Sahara issue, eventhough it hosts the Polisario separatists on its soil (in Tindouf, an Algerian desert area on the south-western borders with Morocco). The Moroccan official described this Algerian stand as "illogical."

The official slammed the Algerian diplomacy for being "actively mobilized against Morocco."

Touching on the recent proposals made by James Baker, personal envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Sahara to unlock the issue, Benaissa said Morocco categorically rejects any solution imposed on it.

"Mr. Baker did not consult us on this plan and did not take into account the criticism and observations we made regarding his draft," he said. "We are convinced that we act in accordance with legitimacy," he insisted.

Previous Stories:
  Algerian president voice will to up ties with Morocco   (8/1/2003)
  Morocco-Algeria dialogue, sole means to settle sahara issue, Moroccan fm says   (8/1/2003)
  Europe-based Sahrawi NGOs denounce Polisario torture methods   (7/31/2003)

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