Morocco, its King, its government, and its people have expressed determination to continue to support the UN-led political process. However, Morocco will not hesitate to respond to Polisario’s provocations.
Rabat – King Mohammed VI reiterated today that Morocco’s army intervention in Guerguerat against Polisario’s provocations is within the framework of its “most legitimate right.”
During a phone call with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres the monarch said that Morocco assumed its responsibilities after the UN’s laudable attempts failed to restore security in Guerguerat.
A statement from the royal cabinet said that the telephone conversation with Guterres focused on the latest developments in Morocco’s cause, especially the situation in the Guerguerat buffer zone.
According to the statement, the King emphasized that Morocco’s military action aligns with its “most legitimate right, especially since this is not the first time that the ‘Polisario’ militias have engaged in unacceptable behavior.”
The Polisario Front’s militants have carried out illegal actions in the region since 2016.
Some of these maneuvers threatened the security of people passing through Guerguerat, an area near the Moroccan-Mauritanian border, including participants in the Africa Eco Race.
Read Also: UN Chief Warns Polisario Against Disrupting Africa Eco Race Guerguerat Crossing
Polisario repeatedly violated international agreements in the region and threatened to end its ceasefire with Morocco.
With its recent maneuvers in UN-restricted areas, Polisario escalated its illegal activity after Morocco secured several recent diplomatic achievements. These include in particular the decision of 16 countries to open consulates in Morocco’s southern provinces, in the cities of Dakhla and Laayoune.
Since Morocco’s intervention to secure the region, truck drivers have expressed joy and satisfaction.
King Mohammed VI said that Morocco will continue to take the necessary measures to ensure order and guarantee a safe and fluid movement of people and goods in the buffer zone.
The monarch also reaffirmed Morocco’s commitment to the ceasefire, which the Polisario Front breached.
At the same time, “the Kingdom remains firmly determined to react, with the greatest severity, and within the framework of self-defense, against any threat to its security and the peace of mind of its citizens,” the King said.
The monarch also assured that his country will continue to support the efforts of the secretary general in the UN-led political process.
The process “should resume on the basis of clear parameters, involving the real parties to this regional dispute and allowing a realistic and achievable solution within the framework of the sovereignty of the Kingdom,” the King concluded.
