Italian senator: 'We share Morocco's stance on the Sahara issue'
Morocco-Italy, Politics, 1/18/2005

"We share Morocco's stance on the Sahara" issue said senator Valentino Perin who underlined the "political significance" of the visit he is paying to the Southern provinces, mainly Laayoune.

The Italian MP, accompanied by a delegation of representatives and businessmen from the Veneto region due to head on Monday to Laayoune (southern Morocco) for a two day visit, said "the option of holding a referendum in this region (Sahara) of Morocco is obsolete," referring to the United Nations relinquished plan to hold a referendum to decide on the future of the Sahara, a Spanish former colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accords with Spain and Mauritania.

The Algeria-backed Polisario separatists are claiming the separation from the rest of Morocco of this territory.

Perin told the Moroccan news agency MAP Morocco and Italy ought to "work more to enhance their cooperation, particularly in economic areas," adding one of the goals of his delegation visit to Morocco "is to set first contacts between the Veneto region, that has several provinces of paramount economic importance, and Morocco that is making big strides in political and economic areas."

The Italian senator said he hoped to conclude a friendship treaty between Veneto and Morocco in a bid to launch joint economic and cultural initiatives.

Members of the delegation will make proposals on a series of projects, including twinning accords between Veneto and Sahara provinces to promote tourism activity between the two regions, adding other projects concern outsourcing and partnership between Veneto and Moroccan businessmen.

Previous Stories:
  Italy against separation of Moroccan southern provinces, speaker   (6/25/2004)
  Sahara issue is a Morocco-Algeria problem that must be settled through dialogue, Italian speaker   (6/25/2004)
  Morocco counts on Italy to consolidate advanced status within EU, Minister   (5/11/2004)

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