Brussels (Belgium), 04/16/2018 (SPS)
The Polisario Front condemned today the decision of the European Council to authorize the European Commission to renegotiate a new agreement amending EU-Morocco fisheries rules with the aim of explicitly including Western Sahara.
Polisario recalled in a statement released today that “the Court of Justice of the European Union has twice decided that Morocco has no sovereignty over Western Sahara” and therefore can not be included in international agreements.
“These negotiations can only lead to an illegal agreement against European Union law and international law,” the statement said, while reiterating that the EU Court of Justice has established that the only way to negotiate agreements on Western Sahara is through the consent of the Saharawi people expressed by its representative recognized by the United Nations, the Polisario Front.
In addition, Polisario said that the renegotiation of the agreement with Morocco undermines the EU’s contribution to the peace process and undermines the efforts of the United Nations and its special envoy.
Finally, Polisario clarifies that the decision of the European Council would force Polisario to initiate a new judicial procedure for the people of Western Sahara.
In this line, Polisario again alerts companies from EU countries to the risk involved in engaging in illegal EU-Morocco agreements.
