PUSL.- According to US state official website Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will travel to Rabat, Morocco from March 28 to 30, where he will meet with Prime Minister Aziz Akhanouch and Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita to exchange views on regional political issues and bilateral cooperation.
It seems that Blinken toned down the enthusiastic declarations and twitters of ex president Trump who recognized the legitimacy of Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara.
Now we can read in the press release that the Moroccan Autonomy Plan is ONE POTENTIAL APPROACH. Implying that there are other options which is in line with the un resolutions which support the referendum that was the basis for the cease fire agreement in 1991 between Morocco and Polisario Front.
This new formulation will not please the Moroccan king, as he goes back on Trump’s decision and after the alleged letter from Spanish President Sánchez who qualified the autonomy plan as the MOST credible. Blinken considers the autonomy plan not as the only solution to the conflict, but as an option.
Bearing in mind that, in any case, it would mean holding a referendum in accordance with United Nations resolutions.
– Here the text concerning Western Sahara:
“WESTERN SAHARA
The United States continues to view Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as serious, credible, and realistic, and one potential approach to meet the aspirations of the people of Western Sahara.
The Unites States supports United Nations Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General Staffan de Mistura in leading the political process for Western Sahara, under the auspices of the United Nations.”
