The Spanish Executive reiterated its support on March 18, 2022 for the Moroccan autonomy plan in Western Sahara. This is what José Manuel Albares, Minister of Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed on Monday February 12 in a response to a written question from Jon Inarritu, Basque MP from the EH-Bildu party, which dates back to December 14.
“Spain’s position on Western Sahara is fully consistent with international legality, as underlined by the head of government in his speech in September 2023 before the United Nations General Assembly,” said the head of the Spanish diplomacy. In his speech, Pedro Sánchez then called for “a mutually acceptable political solution” and ignored “the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara” and “the organization of a referendum” in the Sahara.
“A position expressed in the Joint Declaration adopted on April 7, 2022 on the occasion of the meeting between the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, and Pedro Sánchez, as well as in the Declaration of February 2, 2023, published at the end of the XII High Level Meeting between Spain and Morocco, held in Rabat,” indicated the head of Spanish diplomacy.
As a reminder, the Joint Declaration of April 7, 2022 states that “Spain considers the Moroccan autonomy initiative, presented in 2007, as the most serious, realistic and credible basis for the resolution of this dispute”.
The publication of the response to the written question asked by this pro-Polisario deputy comes in the wake of Algeria’s cancellation of J.M. Albares’ visit to Algiers.
Blanco in Rabat
Furthermore, it should be remembered that Abdellatif Hammouchi, Director General of National Security and Territorial Surveillance, held talks on Tuesday in Rabat with Eugenio Pereiro Blanco, Spanish Commissioner General of Information, currently visiting working in Morocco at the head of a large security delegation.
This meeting comes in the wake of bilateral meetings held between officials of the security and intelligence services of the kingdoms of Morocco and Spain, with the aim of examining ways to develop bilateral cooperation in several security areas, indicates the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST).
The meeting also constitutes a new opportunity for both parties to take stock of distinguished cooperation relations in security matters, discuss a set of issues of common interest, in addition to monitoring and preventing emerging dangers and challenges. in order to deal with it, adds the same source. These talks reflect, once again, the high importance and advanced level of bilateral cooperation between the Moroccan and Spanish security services, which is based on the depth of the strategic partnership linking the two countries, it is concluded.
This article is originally published on perspectivesmed.com
