Christopher Ross: “Sovereignty Of Western Sahara Does Not Belong To Trump Or To Morocco”

• The former United Nations envoy to Western Sahara, Christopher Ross, said on Monday that the sovereignty of Western Sahara does not belong to outgoing US President Donald Trump or to Morocco.
• Christopher Ross, during an interview with Algerian Radio Channel 3, described Trump’s alleged recognition of the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Morocco over the Saharan territories as a dangerous decision that would negatively affect the stability of the region and the interests of the United States in North Africa.

Christopher Ross, said that the recognition of the alleged Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, taken by outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump, “is senseless, ill-considered and dangerous.

Ross also clarified that Trump’s decision will not change the international approach to the Western Sahara file and will not eliminate the urgent need to implement UN Security Council resolutions, but rather obstruct a solution and threaten security and peace on several axes in the region, which is currently experiencing an atmosphere of increasing tension.

• Christopher Ross believes that Trump’s decision will have a negative impact on the US-Algerian bilateral relations, and is considered a denial by the US administration of the principles of not seizing land by force and the right of peoples to determine their own destiny, which it has adopted for centuries and even supported Algeria in the UN General Assembly in 1959.

• The former UN envoy added: “Algeria’s positions are clear in the Western Sahara file and are based on international legitimacy decisions and UN regulations”.

• Ross explained that the new US administration led by Joe Biden is required to cancel Trump’s decision if it wants to preserve its interests in North Africa, especially since the United States has bilateral relations with Algeria in the fields of energy, trade, security and military coordination.

• The veteran American diplomat confirmed – according to Algerian radio – that the interests of the United States in North Africa require a careful and balanced approach.