Senegalese FM: Morocco's sovereignty, like other African countries', is not negotiable
Morocco-Senegal, Politics, 8/13/2004

Morocco's sovereignty, like all other African countries' is not negotiable, said Senegalese foreign minister, Tidiane Gadio.

The Senegalese official told a Moroccan paper "for all Morocco's friends, the basis of negotiations (over the Sahara) is that the Kingdom's sovereignty, like that of all other African countries, cannot be negotiated."

In an interview published this Thursday by "Le Matin du Sahara et du Maghreb," Gadio called the African Union (which replaced the Organization of the African Unity) to understand that it will start on wrong bases if it does not pay due attention to the Sahara issue.

Morocco withdrew from the now-defunct OAU in 1984 after the organization admitted the puppet Sahara republic, proclaimed by the Polisario. The Algeria-backed Polisario is claiming the separation from the rest of Morocco of the Sahara, a former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accords.

The Senegalese foreign minister further argued that a "new, prosperous and united Africa, where peace and stability prevail, cannot be conceived without Morocco, noting that there are over 20 African countries who share the view that the African Union cannot be built without the Kingdom.

He also stressed that his country can play a part in settling the issue, as it has an unambiguous stance. Other African countries, that have an unequivocal stance can also bring their contribution, alongside Senegal, he said. They can think together on the stake of Morocco's presence within the AU, he went on.

The first political step that needs to be made, he insisted, is to acknowledge the reality that without Morocco, the AU will not be the organization aspired to.

Senegal, he said, welcomes Morocco's decision to lift the entry visa requirement for Algerians, as a move of reconciliation between Morocco and Algeria.

Of Moroccan-Senegalese cooperation, he said it is the best example of economic, technical, scientific and cultural cooperation, adding that at the political level, the two countries share similar stances of major African and international issues.

King Mohammed VI had visited Senegal last June as part of a five nation African tour. (MAP)SH

Previous Stories:
  King Mohammed VI receives founding chairman of Senegal's Islamic institute of sciences, education, culture   (8/4/2004)
  Senegal reiterates 'firms' support to Morocco's sovereignty over Sahara   (6/28/2004)
  Morocco, Senegal vow to build 'strategic 'partnership'   (6/28/2004)

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