Morocco seeks end of Sahara conflict through political solution, sahrawi dignitary

Morocco wants to bring the Sahara conflict to a halt and is attached to a political and peaceful solution to the issue, a Sahrawi dignitary who was part of a delegation of heads of Sahrawi tribes that visited Mexico recently, told Mexican press agency "Notimex."

Rachid Douihi, member of the Sahrawi Affairs Advisory Council, said any settlement of this issue should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Morocco. The visit of the Sahrawi delegation to Mexico is meant to shed light on the reality in the Moroccan southern provinces and express Sahrawi populations' refusal of the latest plan of UN secretary general personal envoy to the Sahara, James Baker, concerning the Sahara.

The southern provinces are historically an integral part of Morocco by virtue of the allegiance (Beiaa) that binds Sahrawi populations to the Alawite throne, Douihi insisted.

The Sahrawi delegation had a series of meetings in Mexico with government officials, members of the Mexican congress, heads of political parties and the media to highlight their stand with regard to the Sahara question.