Moroccan government delegation in US to discuss Sahara autonomy project
15/02/2007
A Moroccan government delegation including Interior Minister Chakib Benmoussa, Deputy Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Fihri, and intelligence chief Yassine Mansouri arrived in Washington Tuesday (February 13th) to present Morocco's proposal for the solution to the Western Sahara dispute. The officials were received by the US Undersecretary for Political Affairs, Nicholas Burns. In a subsequent statement, the US State Department stressed that the "US appreciates the plan initiated by the government of Morocco, and hails the efforts of Morocco to find a realistic and workable settlement to the problem". Reportedly, Burns has recommended that Morocco continue its work on the plan.
The plan envisions considerable autonomy for Western Sahara, but within the sovereignty of the Moroccan state. Both Morocco and the Polisario Front independence movement have claimed the territory since 1976. The Moroccan delegation has already visited Spain and France, and will continue its tour in other European capitals to gather support for the proposal. (MAP, Le Matin)
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