France supports Sahara issue solution that takes into account Morocco's interests
Morocco-France, Politics, 10/9/2003

France supports a solution to the Sahara issue "that takes into account Morocco's interests and regional stability," said, here Wednesday, French President Jacques Chirac.

In an interview with MAP bureau in Paris, prior to the three-day state visit to Morocco this Oct.9-11, the French president said his country wants "a political, realistic and lasting" solution "agreed upon by the two parties" and that takes into account Morocco's interests and the region's stability. France "fervently wishes a solution to this conflict which constitutes an obstacle to a united Maghreb," said Chirac before calling for the continuation of discussions in line with resolution 1495 of the UN Security Council. He nevertheless reckoned that the Security Council "cannot impose a solution to this conflict," insisting however that "the parties must reach a settlement, and it is up to the International Community to encourage them."

The Sahara conflict is dragging for more than a quarter century. The future of this former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco under a three-party agreement signed in 1975 between Spain, Morocco and Mauritania, is being discussed in a peace plan mooted by James Baker, former US Secretary of State and personal envoy of the UN Secretary general to the Sahara. This plan, in its latest version, has been rejected by the Moroccan government and by the whole population of the Moroccan southern provinces, out of fear that it will trigger a tribal war as it does not take into account the kingdom's territorial sovereignty and territorial integrity.

France, said Jacques Chirac, is carrying on efforts to obtain the release of all Moroccan POWs held in Tindouf, deeming their liberation "an obligation from the point of view of international humanitarian law." The French president also called for strengthening dialogue between Maghreb countries (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia), to "create a new environment of confidence." France, he said, "incites its friends to build a common future," before adding that the next Euro-Mediterranean 5"5 dialogue meeting, which he will attend in Tunisia next December, will help "move forward towards this end." The 5"5 dialogue brings together officials from the 5 Maghreb countries in addition to 5 southern European countries (Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Malta). Of the part that Morocco and France can have in the Euro-Med partnership, Chirac argued that the two countries "should be the engines for the Euro-Mediterranean space construction," adding that "the deep and earnest friendship between the two countries is precious for it is a daily contradiction of inter-civilization clash.

The French president further underscored France's active role within the Euro-Med process where the European country is working for closer cooperation between the European Union and the Maghreb, and stressed that his country "supports Morocco's request for an advanced status in its relations with the EU." This will be the second state visit by Jacques Chirac to Morocco since he came to power in 1995 and the first since the enthronement of King Mohammed VI in 1999.

Previous Stories:
  French president on state visit to Morocco this week   (10/8/2003)
  Morocco, France relations are exemplary, French former fm   (9/30/2003)
  French association condemns Polisario crimes and stops sending aid   (9/20/2003)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search