Morocco’s Makhzen Seeks To “Entice” Algeria under Condition Of Perpetuation Of Occupation Of Western Sahara!

The head of the Moroccan Government, Saad Eddine Othmani, said his country’s hand was held out to Algeria, but within the framework of “respect for its sovereignty and national cardinal principles”, after the Moroccan Makhzen reeled from the telling “shock” dealt by the decision of the Special Court of Justice of the European Union, which totally excluded Western Sahara’s territorial waters from the recently-concluded EU-Morocco Fisheries agreement.

The senior Moroccan official hoped the return of the relationship with Algeria to its natural form, and said in an interview with the newspaper “Al-Quds Al-Arabi,” on Thursday: “When I was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2012,  the first visit in the Maghreb region I  paid was to Algeria, and there was a very excellent reception, adding: “during that period, efforts were made to develop relations through visits by ministers and government officials and through the signing of a number of agreements between the two neighboring countries”. 

“However, he said, these attempts were quickly halted, and we always hope that the water will return to its streams. The hand of Morocco is always outstretched in this direction, of course within the framework of the respect for its sovereignty and national fundamental principles”, as he put it.

 This is understood from Saad Eddine Othmani’s sweeping statements concerning “the respect for Morocco’s sovereignty and its national principles”,  that Morocco is still doggedly intent on perpetuating its illegal occupation of the soil of Western Sahara, and is now asking Algeria to stop supporting the legitimate right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination and independence.

As for joining the African Union, Saad Eddine Othmani only offered a “positive” image, saying: “This was a strong push towards deeper, more diversified and more extended relations with Africa. 

Regarding the decision of the Special Court of Justice of the European Union, which excluded Western Sahara’s territorial waters from the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement, Saad Eddine Othmani stated: “The EU recognizes the importance of the strategic relations fostered with Morocco, both politically and economically. The general official position in the EU is not against Morocco’s clear political position on the Western Sahara issue, stressing, as he claimed, that “the issue pertains to national sovereignty!” 

“The approach is different, he added, expecting that the European Court’s ruling would not be reflected in the annual report of the UN Security Council next month on the MINURSO mission”, as the Polisario Front has for long been demanding that the MINURSO Mission’s field of work must also include monitoring human rights in the occupied Saharawi territories owing to the blatant Moroccan authorities’ repressive and brutal policies against Saharawi militants.