Norway recalls ambassador for voicing support to Morocco on Sahara issue

Norwegian ambassador to Morocco Arne Aasheim was called back to his country for having voiced, recently to a TV outlet, support to the Moroccan stance on the Sahara issue, the Moroccan 2M TV channel said.

The Sahara issue opposes Moroccan and the Algeria-backed "Polisario" movement, that has been claiming the separation of the Moroccan Southern provinces returned to the motherland from Spanish rule in 1975 in line with the Madrid accords signed by Morocco, Spain and Mauritania.

Quoting the Spanish News Agency 'EFE', the 2M TV channel added that Arne Aasheim unveiled in his TV statement the existence of Norwegian investment projects in the Southern provinces of the Kingdom.

The Moroccan TV also said Norwegian State Secretary to foreign affairs justified the recall of the ambassador arguing the latter "is not empowered" to speak on behalf of the Norwegian government, known for its support to "Polisario."