Morocco made 'important reservations' about UN Peace plan in Sahara, Minister
Morocco-UN, Politics, 4/24/2004

Morocco has made "important reservations" about the United Nations' peace plan on the Sahara, said on Friday the Moroccan minister of foreign affairs and cooperation adding that the kingdom, which "did not fully reject this plan, insists on the red lines not to be trespassed."

In a statement to the Moroccan TV "TVM," Mohamed Benaissa said that King Mohammed VI of Morocco "has had in person direct contacts with a certain number of heads of states, including from member countries of the security Council."

He added that "all these leaders have shown understanding regarding Morocco, a country committed to a final and consensus-based political solution" to the Sahara dispute opposing the Kingdom to the Algerian-backed separatist movement "Polisario." The latter has been claiming since 1976 the independence of this former Spanish colony retrieved, a year earlier, by Morocco under the Madrid Accords signed with Spain and Mauritania.

He explained that Morocco's stance is "in line with the position adopted by the Security Council, and with the kingdom's proposals that care for the territorial unity and its sovereignty over the whole Moroccan territory."

A week ahead of the deadline of April 30 set by the UNO before the world body chief reports to the security council, Morocco said on Thursday it has officially notified the UN that it will not accept any solution providing for the independence of the Moroccan Sahara, known as Western Sahara.

Moroccan Minister of Communication and Government's spokesman, Nabil Benabdallah told reporters Morocco has provided "last week its answer on the evolution of our national cause" in an allusion to Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara.

He added that Morocco "aspires to a final consensus-based political solution" to the dispute, insisting however that the kingdom also listed "aspects that cannot be subject to any negotiation on the part of Morocco, namely the total exclusion of the option of independence, the transition period and the respect of the Moroccan State's constant foundations."

The spokesman also reiterated Morocco's resolve to continue to cooperate with the UN and to "negotiate on the basis of a final autonomy providing for the granting of some prerogatives to the inhabitants of our Southern provinces in a framework guaranteeing Morocco's national sovereignty and territorial unity" by taking as a reference the model of neighboring countries. (MAP)MK

Previous Stories:
  NGO calls on European Parliament to probe fate of Moroccans sequestrated in Southern Algeria   (2/18/2004)
  Euro-deputies plead for release of moroccan POWs   (2/5/2004)
  European high commissioner for EU enlargement and neighborhood policy visits morocco   (1/31/2004)

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