Turkey supports negotiated solution to Sahara issue, within UN frame

Turkey's ambassador in Rabat, Algan Akin, reiterated his country's stance in support of a negotiated solution to the Sahara issue, within the framework of the United Nations Organization.

The diplomat, who described in an interview with Moroccan "Al Alam" daily as unfounded rumors that Turkey recognized the puppet Sahrawi republic, said "we support efforts made by the UN secretary general and by his special representative Alvaro De Soto," recalling that his country had abstained during the vote of an Algeria-brokered resolution at the UN general assembly's 4th commission.

These rumors, he went on, are actually an erroneous interpretation made by some international media accredited in Morocco, insisting that Moroccan-Turkish relations are longstanding and date back to the 16th century.

Some media had reported that Turkey recognized the so-called Sahara republic, self proclaimed by the Algeria-backed Polisario which is seeking to separate Moroccan southern provinces, the Sahara, from the rest of Morocco. The Kingdom had retrieved these territories in 1975 under the Madrid accords with Spain, the former colonial power, and Mauritania.

The Turkish diplomat added that the two countries share several values and their relations have been consolidated by the signing of a free trade agreement.

However bilateral trade did not exceed US$ 260 million in 2003, he went on, calling for more efforts to boost cultural ties, especially since a considerable part of Turkish history can be found in Moroccan libraries while archives of the Ottoman empire contain important references on Moroccan history.