Morocco World News
Morocco World News
Casablanca, May 6, 2012
In his first reaction to the election of Socialist Francois Holland as France’s new President, the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Saad Eddin El Otmani told the Casablanca-based Radio Plus that the French-Moroccan relations will not be affected by the arrival of the socialists to power in France.
He stressed on the strength and depth of the countries bilateral relations and the common interest they share, especially that Morocco is considered the primary Arab and African economic and political partner for France.
On the Sahara issue, the head of the Moroccan diplomacy pointed out that France’s support to Morocco’s efforts won’t be affected. In this regard, he highlighted that French Socialist Party leader Martine Aubry had said, in a meeting with King Mohammed VI, that France’s position on the Sahara issue has not changed and that the French Socialist Party believes that the autonomy plan presented by Morocco in April 2007 to the UN Security Council is a reasonable and logical solution to this issue.
In April 2007, Morocco presented an autonomy plan to the Security Council in order to find a long lasting and mutually acceptable solution to the Sahara issue. The said plan was welcomed by members of the Council as a “serious” and “credible” basis for the settlement of this issue.
France has been the staunchest supporter of the Moroccan efforts geared towards finding a solution on the basis of this autonomy plan.
