King Mohammed VI reiterated willingness to find a way out to the Sahara issue

King Mohammed VI of Morocco reiterated his willingness to find a way out to the Sahara issue, opposing Morocco and the Algeria-backed Polisario movement that claims separation of the Moroccan southern provinces, a story ran by the Egyptian "October" weekly said.

Once again the sovereign said that Morocco was fully committed to work with the United Nations and all concerned parties "to reach a political and lasting settlement to the Sahara issue in the framework of international legality and the respect of the Kingdom's territorial integrity and sovereignty and in a way that allows citizens of the Southern provinces to run their local affairs," said the weekly.

Morocco has explained its stance regarding the development of the Sahara issue in a memorandum presented lately to the UN Secretary General, namely pointing out to Algeria's responsibility in the dispute, to Morocco's commitment to settle the issue politically and to engage in dialog with Algeria and to abide by good neighbourliness obligations, the Egyptian newspaper said. For Morocco the Sahara issue is part of the completion of its territorial integrity and the protection of its national unity, the weekly said adding that the proposal on internal autonomy "is a political solution in line to international legality, for its the best way to arrive at a lasting solution" to the dispute. On the memo, the weekly said, Morocco remains attached to this solution that protects its sovereignty and allows the citizens of the Southern provinces run their local affairs. The weekly said Morocco also welcomes cooperation with any good willing party to help the people living in Tindouf camps (South-West Algeria, where they are sequestrated by the Polisario) to return to their relatives in Southern Morocco.

Morocco also rules out the idea, disseminated by Algeria, that it is "an occupying power," for the Sahara is an integral part of its territory, the weekly said.