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As Morocco continues to strengthen its position on Western Sahara, Polisario and Algerian lobbying attempts are increasingly targeting members of the EU parliament to sustain their hostility to Moroccan territorial integrity.
A group of EU parliament members (MEPs) on Wednesday sent a letter to the EU’s top diplomat, expressing their frustration with France’s recent recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara.
The penholder of the letter was MEP Ana Miranda of the Galician Nationalist (BNG), which has historically received support from parties hostile to Morocco’s territorial integrity, including Podemos and Sumar.
The Morocco-bashing letter urged the EU High Representative to respond to France’s “serious diplomatic affront.”
Lamenting the fact that France’s newfound position on the territorial dispute “totally favorable to Morocco,” the letter claimed that “any unilateral support for one of the parties risks leading the region to a confrontation that would further endanger the area.”
The MEPs’ tone aligns with Polisario and Algeria’s frustration over France’s decision.
In July, the EU emphasized that each member state has the right to react to developments in the Western Sahara dossier, including France’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty, according to its own positions and national priorities.
“It is up to each Member State to react according to its own positions. The common position of the European Union on this matter remains unchanged,” Europa Press quoted a spokesperson for the EU Foreign Affairs as saying.
The letter from the MEPs is part of a border hostile campaign by some members of the EU Parliament aimed at undermining Morocco’s territorial integrity in favor of Polisario’s claims for independence in Western Sahara.
Read also: European Parliament Continues Hostile Campaign Against Morocco
Under the guise of championing human rights, a number of pro-Polisario MEPs have in recent years consistently criticized Morocco’s domestic policies while deliberately overlooking the human rights abuses perpetrated by Polisario in the Intouf camps, including the militarization of children.
The selective focus also neglects Morocco’s efforts to develop its southern provinces into vibrant socio-economic regions.
The recent diplomatic gains consolidating Morocco’s position angered several parties, including some MEPs that are vocal supporters of the agenda of the Polisario Front.
In a previous interview with Morocco World News (MWN), Algerian journalist and analyst Oualid Kebir said the Polisario Front and the Algerian regime have “strong links” with a number of MEPs.
“It is clear from how Algerian media deals with this issue, and this confirms that the ruling regime in Algeria has a hand in promoting these campaigns,” Kebir told MWN.
For Kebir, this Morocco-bashing letter from Polisario-supporting MEPs is part of a relentless campaign by the Algerian regime and the separatist group to reverse or undermine some of the diplomatic gains Morocco has made in recent years.
