Spanish premier promises constructive and positive stance on Sahara issue
Morocco-Spain, Politics, 4/26/2004

Spanish prime minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, promised here this Saturday that Spain will adopt a positive and constructive stance on Sahara issue.

Zapatero, who is paying an official visit to Morocco, told a press conference in Casablanca his country will adopt a constructive and positive stance to reach "a broad agreement" to the issue of the Sahara, a former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco under the Madrid accords signed in 1975 with Spain and Mauritania.

The head of the Spanish government, who chose Morocco for his first trip abroad since he took office last week, also called the two parties "to embark on intensive dialogue to reach an agreement that would guarantee their respective rights," arguing that the two parties' rights are compatible and can be harmonized within dialogue.

He, however, conceded that reaching such an agreement is no easy task, adding it "can be achieved."

The Spanish official made the statement as the UN secretary general is poised to submit on April 30 to the security council a report on the situation in the Sahara, claimed by the Algerian-backed "Polisario" secessionists. Morocco said on Thursday it has notified last week to the world body that it will not accept any solution providing for the territory separation from the Kingdom.

Morocco says it has not rejected the whole of the peace plan floated by the UN secretary general's personal envoy, James Baker, but reminded the UN on the "red lines" not be trespassed.

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