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Rabat – Finland said it views Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as a “good basis” to end the Western Sahara dispute.
The European country officially announced this position following a meeting today in Helsinki between Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita and his Finish counterpart Elina Valtonen.
A joint statement following the meeting said Finland declared that it considers the Autonomy Plan as a “good basis for a solution agreed upon by the parties.”
The statement also reiterated the country’s support for the UN-led political process aimed at achieving a just durable, and mutually acceptable political solution.
Both ministers also expressed their shared position on the exclusive role of the UN in the political process, reaffirming their support for the UN Security Council resolutions and the efforts of the personal envoy UN Secretary General Staffan de Mistura.
Finland’s support for the autonomy initiative aligns with the momentum Morocco has been gaining in the international community, which has been recognizing the North African country’s plan as a “serious and credible” political basis to end the dispute.
Among the countries who have shown their support are France and Spain, which have openly and publicly endorsed Morocco’s autonomy initiative as the most serious and credible framework.
In a notable gain for the North African country, on Tuesday of last week, France’s President Emmanuel Macron officially announced his country’s recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara.
“The present and future of Western Sahara lies within the framework of Morocco’s sovereignty,” a statement from the royal cabinet quoted Macron as saying.
Macron’s statement also emphasized that the Autonomy Plan is not merely a “serious and credible” approach but also serves as a definitive framework for resolving the territorial dispute.
Historically, the European country has been consistent in its support for Morocco’s initiative.
Morocco expressed satisfaction with the new position, with King Mohammed VI’s saying he was pleased with the “strong and clear” stance that Paris had adopted.
Spain officially endorsed Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the most “serious and credible” framework in March of 2022, adding to the momentum and strengthening the international backing for Morocco’s territorial integrity in the Western Sahara.
