In August, a Wall Street Journal report stunned the breakaway group by quoting US officials who emphasized that Washington will never support the creation of a state in southern Morocco.
Rabat – On the condition of anonymity, a senior US official has reiterated the US’ support for Morocco’s position on the Western Sahara conflict, supporting the kingdom’s Autonomy Plan initiative submitted to the UN in 2007 as a political solution to end the conflict in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
Moroccan state media Maghreb Arab Press (MAP) quoted the senior official from the US State Department on November 27 who outlined the US position on the conflict.
The source emphasized that the issue of Western Sahara is a “priority for Moroccans and we are engaged with the United Nations in order to advance a political solution.”
Washington’s policy, according to the official, “remains the same.”
“Morocco’s Autonomy Plan is serious, realistic, and credible,” the US official explained.
The US official also commented on the recent extension of the MINURSO mandate in October, saying that the US supports the MINURSO mandate as “recently renewed by the Security Council for a period of 12 months.”
The statement comes just one day after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced his decision to visit Morocco in early December, describing the north African country as “one of the strongest partners” for the US.
The visit comes after regular exchanges of visits from officials of both countries in order to strengthen diplomatic relations and collaboration in different fields, including trade and security.
The statement reiterating the US’ support for Morocco’s position followed a report by the Wall Street Journal. The report stipulated that Washington’s position on the Western Sahara conflict is clear.
In the report, the WSJ said that the US is firm that independence for the region will never work as a solution to end the dispute.
The WSJ also quoted officials who emphasized that the US opposes the creation of “an independent state in Western Sahara.”
“Officials involved in the talks said the U.S. have made it clear that Washington won’t support a plan that leads to a new African nation,” the WSJ said.
Breakaway group the Polisario Front were not happy with the WSJ report.
