Sahara historically established as Moroccan territory, Libyan senior official

A senior Libyan official on Tuesday said his country backed Morocco's territorial integrity and affirmed that the Sahara is historically established as a Moroccan territory.

"Libya strongly opposes the creation of a phantom entity" in the Sahara, Ahmed Ibrahim, Assistant Secretary of the General Congress of the Libyan People, said at a meeting with Abdelaziz Alaoui Hafidi, first vice-speaker of the house of representatives (lower house of parliament).

The Sahara issue is in the hands of the United Nations, which intends to hold a self-determination referendum to determine whether the former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accords sets up on its own, as claimed by the Polisario, or remains part of Morocco.

The Libyan official expressed Tripoli's esteem and consideration to Morocco for its solidarity with Libya and its efforts to lift the sanctions imposed on the Maghreban country.