Rabat – Philippines Foreign Affairs Minister Teodoro Locsin reiterated his country’s firm support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Locsin conveyed his country’s support during a joint press briefing with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita today in Rabat.
The minister arrived in Morocco to take part in the second session of Morocco-Philippines Political Consultations meetings. Bourita and the Filipino minister co-chaired the meeting.
“On the subject of the Sahara, we are determined to defend the principle of sovereignty and equality of States enshrined in the Charter of the United Nation,” he said.
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He emphasized that all states “enjoy” the right to full and “complete sovereignty over all their areas of competence,” recalling that the UN Charter requires sovereign states to refrain from turning to force against political independence and territorial integrity of any member state.
“We condemn and reject the use of separatism as a diplomatic weapon. The cruelest conflicts are those where neighbors turn against neighbors,” he said.
Although he did not mention Algeria directly, the statement could be a direct comment on the Algerian regime’s approach of supporting separatist militias seeking to undermine Morocco’s territorial integrity.
Algeria supports, backs, arms, and finances the Polisario Front, a separatist group that claims independence for the Western Sahara region.
