United Nations – Morocco is satisfied with the outcome of the consultations of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on the Sahara, Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, said.
“We are satisfied with the outcome of this meeting,” held Friday by the Security Council, Hilale told MAP in an exclusive interview, adding that the meeting ended with no outcome “despite the persistence of some traditional allies of our opponents in the Council.”
The ambassador also noted that the Council also dismissed the request of the “Polisario,” relayed by its supporters, to stop the construction works of the El Guergarate road.
This fiasco of the “Polisario” and its allies came fifteen days after their debacle in the consultations of August 28 and 48 hours after the rejection of the members of the Non-Aligned Movement to extend an invitation to the Polisario to attend the Movement Summit, slated for next week in Venezuela, he said.
The ambassador pointed out that many UNSC members condemned the violations of the Military Agreement No.1 by the “Polisario” and its threats to resume hostilities because of the construction works.
The Council also divested itself from the attempts of some parties to sow confusion between the political process and the crisis of El Guergerate, he added.
In this respect, Hilale underlined that the Security Council members have understood Morocco’s stance to clean the area of El Guergerate and pave the road linking the southern provinces to Mauritania to guarantee smooth mobility of people and goods.
Regarding the reaction of the UNSC members to the war threats by the separatist movement, the ambassador recalled that the Secretariat has recognized that the Polisario “has flagrantly violated the Military Agreement of the ceasefire by sending vehicles loaded with massive weapons to the area of El guergarate” and asked the Polisario to withdraw its forces.
“For their part, the Council members were unanimous in calling for the respect of the Military Agreement No. 1 on de-escalation and restraint. This message is exclusively addressed to the Polisario, which has threatened to conduct military actions to stop the construction works of the road”, he said.
Morocco has at no time threatened to use force, Hilale said, adding that “our valiant Royal Armed Forces are ready to face any aggression. Alongside this determination, Morocco has reaffirmed to the UN officials that it will show restraint and remains committed to the respect of the cease-fire and the Military Agreement No.1.”
The kingdom explained to the UN Secretariat and the UNSC members that the works conducted in El Guergarate are for civil reasons and are limited in time, until the completion of the construction works of the road, he noted, adding that “this objective is strategic from a security point of view and Morocco is resolutely determined to achieve it.”
The ambassador pointed out that it a “small stretch of three kilometers and a half that was outside the law and where all traffickers of light weapons, human beings, drugs and of cars are active. Hence the meaning of its name Kandahar”, underlining that “its cleaning has become imperative for eminently security reasons.”
Two thirds of the second phase of this operation, consisting of leveling and paving this road, are completed, he noted, adding that this cleaning and construction operation “has been conducted in consultations with Mauritanian authorities and in interaction with MINURSO.”
“Moreover, this is an operation that is not prohibited by any provision of the Military Agreement No.1. It requires a simple notification. Which Morocco did 24 hours after its launch”, the ambassador said, stressing that Morocco “will continue its successful and trustful cooperation with MINURSO to overcome this crisis.”
With Map
