Rabat deplores Kenya's recognition of 'Sahrawi Republic', recalls its ambassador in Nairobi
Morocco-Kenya, Politics, 6/27/2005

The Moroccan Government has decided to recall its Ambassador in Nairobi for consultations following the Kenyan authorities decision to recognize the self proclaimed "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic."

A communique issued Saturday by the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation said Morocco strongly deplores the unjustified and inexplicable Kenyan decision to recognize the puppet "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" (SADR), and to build so-called "diplomatic relations" with it.

The SADR, proclaimed by the Algeria-backed guerrilla movement, is claiming the separation of Morocco's southern provinces (known as the Sahara). The former Spanish colony was retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under Madrid Accords signed with Spain and Mauritania.

The ministry noted that through this regrettable decision, the Kenyan authorities take responsibility for not only damaging the traditional relations which have so far been built on mutual trust between the two brotherly countries, but also removing their country, through their disrepute, from any participation in a political solution that is being sought within the United Nations.

"Recognising a puppet entity, which does not have any of the constituents of a sovereign state, clearly contradicts international legitimacy and goes against international community calls for a negotiated political solution to this regional dispute, and against the efforts made for this purpose by the United Nations with all concerned parties," said the communique.

It added that Morocco would like to point out that the Kenyan decision coincides with a virulent campaign led by the permanent enemy of Morocco's territorial integrity, that has lately reiterated its commitment for the establishment of an "independent Sahrawi state."

The ministry noted that manoeuvres of this kind, whatever their source, will never destroy the Moroccan people's resolve to defend their territorial integrity, nor their will to preserve their national unity.

Therefore, Morocco has decided to recall its ambassador in Nairobi for consultations, the communique concluded.

The Kenyan move is against the mainstream as the number of countries recognizing the Polisario Front's self-proclaimed SADR is seriously dropping. The number of countries bound by diplomatic relations with SADR has fallen from 76 in 1995 to 49 at present and the number of African countries recognizing Polisario's self-proclaimed republic has dropped from 34 to 22.

Outside Africa, no developed country has relations with the self-proclaimed SADR, and only one European country (Albania) still has ties with it.

The latest country that decided to freeze its recognition of SADR is Madagascar whose President, Marc Ravalomanana, announced on April 6, during a visit to Morocco, that his country will freeze its recognition of the so-called Sahrawi republic.

Previous Stories:
  Morocco, Kenya sign cooperation agreements   (9/12/2002)
  Kenya's Arap Moi gets message from King Mohammed   (4/8/2000)

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