Blinken supports UN efforts to achieve “a lasting and dignified political solution” to the conflict
MADRID, 21 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has reiterated that the autonomy plan presented by Morocco for Western Sahara is a “serious, credible and realistic” proposal to resolve the conflict, although the Polisario Front has flatly rejected this path and has insisted in the need to materialize the right to self-determination of the Sahrawis.
Blinken has informed the Moroccan Foreign Minister, Naser Burita, that “the United States continues to see Morocco’s autonomy plan as a serious, credible and realistic position that has the potential to satisfy the aspirations of the people of Western Sahara”, while has shown its “total support” to the United Nations envoy, Staffan de Mistura, in his efforts to achieve “a lasting and dignified political solution” to the conflict.
The vice spokesman of the US State Department, Vedant Patel, has also indicated that Blinken and Burita “have discussed efforts to advance peace and security in the region” and has pointed to “Morocco’s stabilizing role in the face of a range of challenges in Near East and Africa”. In this sense, Blinken has praised the “leadership” of Mohamed VI and his contribution to “the promotion of stability and peace in the region, including his efforts to achieve a secure and prosperous future for Israelis and Palestinians.” .
Blinken himself stressed before his meeting with Burita that both countries maintain a “historic” association that has been “an important force for stability, peace, progress and moderation.” “Morocco has shown leadership in working on normalization (of ties) with Israel and in areas of profound importance to the world, including climate change and renewable energy, where Morocco has been a true leader,” he said.
For his part, Burita highlighted the “solid and historic friendship” between the two countries and asserted that bilateral ties “have never been stronger than now.” “His Majesty King Mohamed VI values this partnership, grounded in our shared commitments to peace, stability and prosperity,” she said, according to a transcript of his remarks provided by the US State Department.
Burita himself recently assured that the solution to the conflict around Western Sahara “can only be conceived within the framework of the United Nations and on the basis of the Moroccan autonomy plan”, while highlighting the “positive” position recently expressed regarding the plan by several Western countries, including Spain. Madrid’s support for the Rabat plan triggered harsh criticism from the Polisario Front, which maintains that this path “does not benefit peace and stability” in the region.
The former Spanish colony was occupied despite the resistance of the Polisario Front, with whom it remained at war until 1991, when both parties signed a ceasefire with a view to holding a self-determination referendum, but differences over the preparation of the census and the inclusion or not of Moroccan settlers has so far prevented its call.
On November 14, 2020, the Polisario Front declared the ceasefire with Morocco broken in response to a Moroccan military action against Saharawi activists in Guerguerat, in the agreed demilitarized zone, which meant for the Saharawis a violation of the conditions of the Stop the fire.