Morocco's Memorandum to UN unveils Algiers' responsibility in Sahara conflict, political parties
Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 9/29/2004

Leaders and representatives of Moroccan political parties were unanimous that the memorandum presented by Morocco to the UN on the Sahara issue unveils Algeria's hostility towards Morocco and its ambition to play a key role in the region, on the expense of the Kingdom's territorial integrity.

The Sahara conflict is opposing Morocco to the Algeria-backed separatists who claim the secession of Morocco's southern provinces, known as the Sahara. This former Spanish colony was retrieved by the Kingdom in 1975 under the Madrid accords.

Secretary General of the Istiqlal Party, Abbas El Fassi, said the document highlights Algeria's hostile positions that has been hampering any settlement to the issue since 1973.

For Secretary General of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP), Mohamed El Yazghi, "the more significant in the memorandum is the political solution that the Kingdom recommends, which makes conclusions from what occurred since 1975 until now."

"Of course, Algeria's responsibility is obvious. Morocco was right to underline it," he said, adding that the "solution proposed by Morocco is one that consolidates the democratic transition in our country and reinforces the population's participation in the management of regional affairs, within the framework of national sovereignty."

This solution, as underlined in the memorandum, "would avoid our region balkanisation," El Yazghi went on.

The Party 'Democratic and Social Movement (MDS)' said in a communiquŽ Monday it "supports and approves" the memorandum on the Sahara conflict, stressing "the responsibility of Algerian authorities in this artificial conflict."

MDS said it is "aware of the serious juncture, due to the growing obstinacy and hostility of Algerian authorities against our national cause, and reiterates its "firm attachment to Morocco's territorial integrity."

The party denounces Algeria's complicity "in maintaining a spot of tension, for obvious reasons of regional hegemony," calling it to "give up its daydreams and work for the construction of the Maghreb Union, the only project capable of achieving grandeur and prosperity to our peoples."

The Democratic and Social movement calls for "watchfulness and permanent mobilization, behind King Mohammed VI, to defend our rights and sacred values."

"Morocco, which has already made enormous territorial concessions to preserve the chances of building the regional grouping (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania), will definitely not be intimidated by threats or quarrelsome discourses.

For Secretary General of the Socialist Democrat Party (PSD), Aissa Ouerdighi, Morocco's memorandum underlines Algeria's dangerous role in the region, and the threat its obstinacy and hostility pose to the region's stability.

For its part, the Justice and Development Party (PJD, said the memorandum presented to the United Nations expresses a clear-cut, explicit and direct position towards Algeria's repeated attempts to undermine Morocco's territorial integrity."

PJD's Secretary General, Saad Eddine Othmani, stressed the necessity to carry on efforts at the national level to make up for diplomacy's flaws and gather the support of southern provinces' inhabitants.

Othmani also called for clear position to face up enemies of Morocco's territorial integrity. "We must react to any of their statements, at the right time and without dithering," he said.

For his part, Secretary General of the National Ittihadi Congress (CNI), Abdelmajid Bouzoubaa, said the memorandum unveils "the direct responsibility of Algeria, which hamper all Moroccan and international community initiatives to settle this artificial conflict."

Abdellah Kadiri, the Secretary General of the National Democratic Party, said the Moroccan document uncovers Algeria's arrogance in the fabricated issue and its aspiration to have a leading role in the region, on the expense of Morocco's historic and legitimate rights.

According to Kadiri, the memorandum, which was so long awaited by the Moroccan people, shows Algeria's responsibility in the issue that it had made every effort to fabricate, adding that Algerian leaders have always declined this responsibility on flimsy grounds.

"Algeria has repeatedly aggressed us on the Sahara issue," the PND leader said, insisting on the "multi-faceted support it grants to the Polisario mercenaries."

The memorandum Morocco presented on September 24 to the UN Secretary General stresses that Algeria, since 1973, systematically and obstinately opposed the completion of the Kingdom's territorial integrity, adding that the involvement of Algeria in the Sahara issue had multiple forms including military engagement, failure to abide by the international humanitarian law, financial and logistic support and diplomatic mobilization.

Previous Stories:
  Political party: Morocco's sovereignty over Sahara not subject to negotiations   (9/28/2004)
  AL Khaleej: Morocco open to solution securing sovereignty over Sahara, Academic   (9/28/2004)
  Morocco lashes out at AlgeriaÕs campaign to dispute MoroccoÕs sovereignty over the Sahara   (9/27/2004)

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