Sahara Dispute: Initiatives underway to convince Morocco regain seat in African Union, Senegal's president
Morocco-Senegal, Politics, 6/25/2004

President of Senegal Abdoulaye Wade has talked about "some initiatives" under way to convince Morocco resume its seat in the African Union (AU) that replaced the defunct Organization of African Unity OAU).

Morocco quit the Organization in 1984 after it endorsed the membership of the so-called "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" (SADR) proclaimed by the separatist movement "Polisario" and set up in Tindouf, southwestern Algeria.

"Morocco should return to the African family," Said Mr. Wade in an interview with MAP on the eve of the visit by King Mohammed VI of Morocco to Senegal, fifth and last leg of the monarch's five-nation African tour that he started ten days ago in Benin.

"Speaking about the African Union without Morocco is an aberration, and it does not make any sense. I think some mistakes have been made from the very beginning. However, I am studying with some countries initiatives that I will discuss with HM the King to redress this error," he said.

Abdoulaye Wade whose country has always backed Morocco's sovereignty over its southern provinces (Sahara), had previously called for putting an end to what he described as "the question of Polisario and their self-proclaimed SADR."

"We cannot continue to drag out this question indefinitely," he had asserted soon after his election in March 2000.

The so-called "Polisario" is claiming sovereignty over the Moroccan southern provinces, known as Western Sahara. The former Spanish colony was retrieved by the Kingdom in 1975 under the Madrid Accords signed with Spain and Mauritania.

"I will discuss these (initiatives) with HM the King to reach a new idea to pave the way for Morocco's return (to the African Union) not only as a member, but to make it bring its contribution (to the Union)," said Wade. "I reaffirm once again solidarity with the Moroccan people over the Sahara issue and I hope that Morocco will return to the African community."

"I will never take a position that is against Morocco's interests. I am ready to support Morocco's stances," he insisted before voicing resolve to "do my best, as long as I am president of Senegal, to sit someday by the side of HM in a body of the African Union,."

Previous Stories:
  Sahara issue: senegal supports solution that respects Morocco's territorial unity   (4/28/2004)
  King Mohammed meets senegalese president   (3/13/2004)
  Morocco, Senegal create parliamentary friendship groups   (3/12/2004)

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