Washington ready to support Moroccan efforts for lasting solution to Sahara issue, ambassador

The US ambassador-designate to Morocco pledged to "fully support" Morocco's quest for a lasting solution to the Sahara dispute.

At a hearing, Tuesday, before the Senate Foreign relations Committee, Thomas Riley said, if confirmed, he would "fully support efforts by the Moroccan government to work closely with other parties in the region and with the UN Secretary General's Personal Envoy (James Baker) to the Sahara, to find a lasting solution that can guarantee peace and prosperity" for the region. The US diplomat was referring to Algeria and to the Algerian-backed separatist movement "Polisario" claiming independence of the Sahara, a former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid Accords.

The diplomat who was nominated on October 6 by president George W. Bush in replacement of Margaret Tutwiler, said that while the kingdom is accomplishing great progress on the path of political, economic and social modernization, the government of Morocco is also aware of the importance of efforts that countries of this region should make to settle the Sahara issue to the benefit of future generations."

He said it is in the United States' long term interest to show their support to the government of Morocco while it pursues the fight against terrorism and takes bold measures for the strengthening of democracy, economic openness and the defense of rights of women and children.

Recently, the US Undersecretary of State, William Burns said Washington would not impose any solution to this issue and called for direct talks between Morocco and neighboring Algeria which, although its continues to deny any involvement in this conflict, is considered as a concerned party as it hosts in its southwestern region the Polisario movement which it provides with political, financial and military support.