Morocco renews rejection of any partition proposal of its Sahara

Morocco renewed on Wednesday rejection of any idea to partition its Sahara.

"Morocco categorically rejects the partition idea that holds the seeds of incommensurable dangers for the region and that constitutes a serious precedent in Africa," said King Mohammed VI in Washington Wednesday during a meeting at the Capitol with Speaker of the House of Representatives Dennis Hastert and other House members.

The UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, had outlined last February in a report on the Sahara four options to settle the issue, namely resume attempts to implement the settlement plan (adopted in the early nineties), revise the draft framework agreement (brokered by the UN secretary general's special envoy for the Sahara James Baker) hold discussions over a possible division of the territory (at Algeria's proposal), or terminate the UN mission in the Sahara.

In an address he delivered during the meeting, the sovereign recalled that Morocco has repeatedly called for a political settlement to the Sahara issue, within total respect of its sovereignty and in conformity with democratic principles.

He also recalled that the kingdom adhered to the framework agreement brokered by the UN secretary general's special envoy for the Sahara James Baker. The agreement proposes a large autonomy for the Sahara provinces under Moroccan sovereignty.