Before the members of the United Nations Security Council, France reaffirmed, Thursday in New York, that “the present and future” of the Sahara lie within Moroccan sovereignty, reiterating its “clear and constant” support for the autonomy plan to definitively resolve this regional dispute.
“Our position is known. For France, the present and future of the Sahara lie within Moroccan sovereignty,” France’s ambassador, permanent representative to the UN, Nicolas De Rivière, said following the vote by the Security Council on resolution 2756 extending the mandate of MINURSO by one year.
Autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is “the framework within which this issue must be resolved, and our support for the autonomy plan presented by Morocco in 2007 is clear and constant”, the diplomat added.
He underlined that “for France, this is the only basis for reaching a just, lasting and negotiated political solution, in accordance with the resolutions of this Council”, pointing to the fact that “an increasingly broad international consensus is emerging in this direction”.
The French ambassador said “it was important that the Council take note of this dynamic as it now does in this resolution”.
In his explanation of vote in support of the new resolution, De Rivière praised Morocco’s efforts in favor of socio-economic development in the southern provinces, stressing the “imperative” of continuing this dynamic.
“We welcome all the efforts made by Morocco in this regard”, he said, adding that “France will support it in this approach for the benefit of local populations.”
The French ambassador deemed it was “time to move forward,” calling on all parties concerned by this issue to “come together” with a view to a political solution, “which is within reach.”
De Rivière further expressed his country’s support for the efforts of the UN Personal Envoy with a view to “relaunching discussions in the format of round tables,” welcoming “Morocco’s commitment in this regard.”
The UN Security Council decided, on Thursday, to extend the mandate of MINURSO for one year.
In this new resolution, the UN executive body reaffirmed its support for the Moroccan autonomy initiative, presented by the Kingdom in 2007, as a serious and credible basis with a view to settling the artificial conflict over the Moroccan Sahara, in accordance with the resolutions of the Security Council.
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