Magazine notes shift in US attitude in Sahara issue

Washington supports Morocco's territorial integrity, writes "New African" magazine in its January edition quoting US under secretary of state, Richard Armitage.

Washington supports the territorial integrity of Morocco, the magazine published in London quoted Armitage as saying in an interview with Al-jazeera satellite TV, noting that this marks "a perceptible change" in the US policy from "neutrality" in the 29-year old Sahara conflict.

The paper also gives a historical background of the issue regarding the Sahara, a former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accord with the Spanish colonial administration. The Algeria-backed Polisario movement is claiming the separation of this territory, Moroccan southern provinces, from the rest of Morocco.

It also recalls the signing last June of a free-trade agreement between Morocco and the USA and the US president's decision to consider Morocco as "a major US non-NATO ally" and to consolidate US ties with the Kingdom in several fields.