Libya could play key role in sahara issue, diplomat

Libyan diplomat, Mohamed Al Mabrouk Younes, said Libya has the ability to play an important role in settling the Sahara issue, especially that it is now chairing the Maghreb Union (UMA), which musters Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Mauritania.

Speaking at a conference here on the latest developments of the Sahara issue, Al Mabrouk, a former media adviser at the Libyan embassy in Rabat, affirmed his country's diplomacy will focus efforts on the issue.

The diplomat, who also gives contemporary history lectures at a Libyan university, said international juncture is favoring a solution to the Sahara problem, alluding to the 5"5 Mediterranean dialogue between UMA countries and 5 European ones, namely France, Spain, Malta, Italy and Portugal.

"The US initiative of Greater Middle East also includes the 5 Maghreban countries," he added.

According to Mabrouk Younes, despite the skepticism surrounding the Sahara issue, a ray of hope has is shimmering after the humanitarian initiatives made lately such as the release of Moroccan POWs and the exchange of visits between the captives of the Tindouf camps (southwestern Algeria) and their relatives in motherland Morocco. These moves, he said, will help alleviate psychological barriers and pave the way for a settlement of the issue.

"Among the repercussions of the issue is the withdrawal of Morocco -a founding member of the Organization of African unity- from the Organization, now known as the African Union, which affected the union significantly, the diplomat went on.