Madagascar freezes recognition of so-called Sahrawi Republic
Morocco-Madagascar, Politics, 4/7/2005

Madagascar decided to freeze its recognition of the so-called Sahrawi republic "SADR," visiting Malagasy President Marc Ravalomanana announced in Rabat Wednesday.

"I decided to freeze recognition to SADR," President Ravalomanana told the press at the end of a meeting with Moroccan economic operators, adding that Morocco and Madagascar share the same political views.

The Malagasy head of State voiced his resolve to continue to work with Morocco and follow UN recommendations, recalling his meeting on Tuesday with King Mohammed VI discussed ways to boost bilateral relations.

For his part Malagasy foreign minister Marcel Ranjeva estimated the recognition freeze is "a symbolical gesture that lift any ambiguity regarding the brotherly relations" between Morocco and the Malagasy republic.

He Told the press that "Madagascar recognized, without hesitation, the right of Morocco to the integrity of its territory."

The decision on the Malagasy freeze of SADR recognition also came in the joint communique released on Wednesday in Rabat on the occasion of the three-day official visit President Ravalomanana started on Tuesday to Morocco.

The communique said "His Majesty King Mohammed VI informed President Marc Ravalomanana of the recent developments of the Sahara issue in light of the latest UN Security Council resolutions and reaffirmed Morocco's resolve to sincerely cooperate with the United nations and all the concerned parties to reach a political, negotiated, consensual and lasting solution respecting the Kingdom's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

As to the Malagasy President, he assured "His Majesty of the will of Madagascar to accompany in a committed, sincere and neutral way, the efforts made by the United Nations to reach a political solution wished for by the international community."

The communique went on to say the two parties voiced "their concern regarding the situation of Moroccan detainees in Tindouf and called on the International community to firmly act to free them the soonest."

The Algeria-backed Polisario is still detaining 408 Moroccan POWs in the Tindouf camps, South-West Algeria, following the Sahara conflict that was triggered in 1975 when Morocco retrieved its Southern provinces under the Madrid accords signed with Spain and Mauritania.

On the absence of Morocco from the African Union, the communique said "the two heads of state wished that all obstacles hindering Morocco from returning to the larger African family, be quickly removed." Morocco quit the then Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1984 following admission of the puppet state.

Previous Stories:
  Malagasy president pleads for 'freezing' recognition of self-proclaimed Sahrawi republic   (4/6/2005)
  Malagasy president's visit to Morocco evokes 'vivid, moving memories', says King   (4/6/2005)

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