Morocco 'firm and unshakable' in defending its territorial integrity, minister
Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 10/29/2004

Morocco will "firmly and unshakably" defend its territorial integrity and is ready to reach a political, negotiated and lasting solution to the Sahara issue in line with international legality, said Minister delegate to foreign affairs and cooperation, Taib Fassi Fihri.

Speaking during the weekly question time at the house of representatives, Fihri said, to defend its cause, Morocco is staging a diplomatic action based on a clear strategy meant to convince its partners of the legality and rightness of its cause to defeat the fallacious campaigns against Morocco's territorial integrity.

Morocco, which retrieved its Southern provinces (Sahara) in 1975, has been opposed since then by the Algeria-backed Polisario Movement which claims the separation of these provinces from the motherland.

He said the diplomatic strategy helped make more than 30 countries renounce their recognition of the puppet Sahrawi republic (SADR) and has focused lately on the opening of new missions in the world as well as improve the methodology to advance this national cause.

The Moroccan government is ready to work with all the forces of the country to activate parliamentary diplomacy to defend the national cause within international organizations, said the minister. (MAP)QA

Withdrawal of SADR Recognition by Serbia-Montenegro in line with international legality, FM

Rabat, Oct 28 (MAP)- The withdrawal of recognition by Serbia-Montenegro to the so-called Sahrawi republic is in line with international legality and is an acknowledgement of the legitimate rights of Morocco over its territorial integrity, said Moroccan foreign minister, Mohamed benaissa.

Benaissa told on Wednesday the Moroccan broadcasting radio "RTM" the Sebia-Montenegro government woke up to the wrong stance of the previous regime, recalling that the recognition of SADR by former Yougoslavia came within a cold war environment that forced several eastern European countries recognize the phony entity.

The foreign minister stressed the efforts of the Moroccan diplomacy with scores of countries to convince them of the national cause legality and counter allegations of the Polisario separatist movement, backed by Algeria, and claiming the separation of the Moroccan Southern provinces, retrieved by Morocco in 1975 from Spanish occupation. The government of Serbia-Montenegro announced last Tuesday it withdrew its recognition of the so-called "Sahara Republic," proclaimed by the Algeria-backed Polisario separatists.

The decision made in 1984 by the government of former Yugoslavia contradicts the United Nations principles and charter, had said foreign minister of Serbia-Montenegro Vuk Draskovic, in a joint press conference with Benaissa.

Previous Stories:
  No negotiation on Moroccan kingty over Sahara, party   (10/26/2004)
  Morocco always respected consensus on its territorial integrity, minister   (10/22/2004)
  Algeria suffers 'unprecedented severe blow' since start of Sahara conflict, daily   (10/22/2004)

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