No negotiation on Moroccan kingty over Sahara, party

Moroccan sovereignty over its Southern provinces cannot be subject to any negotiation, said Istiqlal Party Secretary general, Abbas El Fassi, stressing the Sahara issue is a national priority that concerns the whole of the Moroccan people.

Addressing a conference on "the fight of the Istiqlal Party (PI) for democracy and territorial integrity," held here Saturday, El Fassi said in the wake of Moroccan independence, Sahrawi tribes spontaneously renewed allegiance ties (Baia) to the late King Mohammed V.

The leader of the conservative party surveyed the History of the Sahara recalling that several Moroccan kings were from the Southern provinces, like the Almoravid and Almohad dynasties.

On the recent recognition of the self proclaimed Sahrawi Republic (SADR) by South Africa, El Fassi said this "should not be seen as a diplomatic failure," stressing the need for political parties and civil society to mobilize to defend the "national cause along with diplomacy."

Since 1975, when Morocco retrieved its Southern provinces, the Polisario, backed by Algeria, has been claiming the separation of the provinces.

He said one should not forget that, since 1989, some 34 countries withdrew recognition of the phoney republic and that Morocco lately won a diplomatic victory following the vote of the Algerian draft resolution at the UN Security's 4th committee. He stressed that out of the 191 member countries, 89 abstained, including the Security Council five permanent members and all Arab countries, safe for Algeria.

El Fassi also said that the "Forum of the Future" set for December in Morocco, will provide the opportunity to defend the Kingdom's territorial integrity and sovereignty over the Sahara. The forum, to be held for the first time, will bring together foreign ministers of G8 and Arab countries, in addition to Pakistan and Turkey. It is meant to be a platform for dialogue to discuss various issues.