King reiterates Morocco's commitment to dialogue to settle Sahara dispute
Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 11/26/2004

Visiting Moroccan King Mohammed VI on Wednesday reiterated his country's commitment to dialogue in order to reach a "final and consensual solution" to the three-decade long Sahara dispute opposing the Kingdom to the Algeria-backed separatists movement "Polisario."

The monarch who was speaking at an exchange of toasts with his host Mexican President Vicente Fox made it clear however that any solution to this dispute should respect Morocco's sovereignty over its southern provinces, known as the Sahara. The former Spanish colony was retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid Accords signed with Spain and Mauritania.

"(É) My country has constantly and sincerely sought to cooperate, in good faith, with the United Nations organization and engage in serious, meaningful dialogue with the parties concerned and the neighbouring states, in accordance with the resolution of international legality, in order to reach a final, consensual and equitable political solution to the dispute over the Sahara" the monarch said. Such a solution, he went on, "would enable the inhabitants of the Sahara to manage their regional affairs in a democratic way, and would respect Morocco's sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity."

On the other hand, in a joint communique released at the of the monarch's official visit to Mexico, both countries "reiterated their support to efforts carried out in the framework of the United Nations, in particular by the Secretary general in order to reach a final, negotiated political solution" to the Sahara dispute.

King Mohammed VI arrived on Tuesday in Mexico, first leg of a five-nation South-American tour, including Brazil, Peru, Chile and Argentina, the first he undertakes since his accession to the throne in 1999.

The monarch also underlined in his speech that Morocco and Mexico share a "keen desire for a more balanced and more equitable international order, in which human rights and people's dignity are better protected; an order in which dialogue, negotiation, justice and international legality are favoured when it comes to tackling the threats stemming from the economic divide, extremism, terrorism, the various forms of organized crime, as well as the regional disputes threatening world peace and security."

Previous Stories:
  Children of population sequestered in Tindouf deported by thousands to Cuba, denounces deportation victim   (11/24/2004)
  Several Ngos voiced concern over allegations to harm the Moroccanity of the Sahara and fate of missing Sahrawis   (11/22/2004)
  Moroccan family flees separatists camps back to Morocco   (11/22/2004)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search