Responses to the Initiative from the European Union

 

The United Kingdom

The Moroccan Government “has worked hard” to resolve the Saharan conflict The Rt Hon Tony Blair MP, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 17 April 2007 at his monthly press conference.

The Moroccan Initiative “offers the ideal format of resolving the question of the Sahara”.  “We believe that the Moroccan Initiative illustrates the best means of moving forward towards the resolution of this question” which will also benefit integration amongst North African countries, which is a region of great strategic importance to Europe
Mr Khalid Mahmoud MP, Labour Member of Parliament for Birmingham Perry Barr and Political Adviser to Tony Blair MP, former British Prime Minister.  (June 2007)

“Very positive” – the reaction of British Members of Parliament from all political parties in response to the Moroccan Plan for Autonomy for the Sahara. (February 2007)

Lord Bilston, Labour Member of the House of Lords, encouraged the British Government to work towards furthering the Moroccan Initiative and expressed the hope that “all partners show solidarity for the concretisation of the Plan” which “contains all the ingredients to reach a final solution to the Saharan question. (February 2007)

“I hope that the Plan will serve as a basis for finding a solution which is satisfactory to all parties and which will guarantee peace in the region”  Dr Andrew Murrison, Conservative Member of Parliament for Westbury and Shadow Minister of Health (February 2007)

“It is a very positive Plan” which will lead progress being made towards a final resolution of the question of the Sahara,  Mr Derek Conway MP, Conservative Member of Parliament for Old Bexley and Sidcup  (February 2007)

France

France welcomed Morocco’s “dynamic engagement” and “congratulated Morocco on its serious and credible efforts” to resolve the thirty-year impasse.  M. Jean-Baptiste Mattéi, spokesman for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“After years of the status quo a new dynamism has been engagement by Morocco, whose efforts have been welcomed as serious and credible by the United Nations’ Security Council, by presenting a Plan for Autonomy, which we judge to be constructive and useful.”

“France hopes that by taking account of these new developments …. the parties will re-establish relations and negotiate in good faith, without precondition and in accordance with the principles of the United Nations”

“France voted in favour of this resolution (UN Resolution 1754 on the Sahara to renew the MINURSO mandate for an additional six months) in the hope that it would assist in finding a way out of the impasse and facilitate the search for a mutually-acceptable political solution.” (May 2007) 

“We have welcomed the Moroccan Plan for Autonomy as a positive contribution and as a constructive element in re-launching negotiations” M. Jean-Baptiste Mattéi, spokesman for the French Minister of Foreign Affairs (June 20007)

France emphasised that it would support “all efforts to find a political solution acceptable to the parties under the auspices of the United Nations” in accordance with UN Resolution 1754 of the Security Council.

Spain

Mr José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, President of the Spanish Government told members of the Congress of Deputies that Spain had welcomed the Moroccan proposal for Autonomy for the Sahara with interest and considered it a “new element” and a means of both “releasing” a new dynamism of dialogue to overcome the genuine impasse and of proceeding towards a “resolution” of differences which would be provided for in the principle of self-determination”.  (March 2007)

Spain recognises that the “only solution lies in an agreement between the parties” and will therefore play “a constructive role” in contributing to such an accord to resolve the thirty-year conflict.

Ban-Ki-Moon, United Nations’ Secretary-General visited Madrid in June 2007, meeting King Juan Carlos, Mr José Luis Zapatero, and Mr Miguel Angel Moratinos, Spanish Foreign Minister to discuss the negotiations which would take place in New York under the United Nations’ auspices from 18-19 June on the Moroccan Plan for Autonomy.

Italy

“As Senator of the Italian Republic, I support the Moroccan Initiative on behalf of my country, as a means of supporting the population of the Sahara”.  The Plan for Autonomy represents a balanced political solution to a conflict which has already lasted thirty years and a means of guaranteeing “regional lasting stability, which will promote the development of the region”.  Mr. Giovanni Pistorio, Italian Senator for Sicily and Representative of the Party “Movement for Autonomy” (April 2007)

“I express the hope that the willingness of the Moroccan Government leads to a definitive and mutually acceptable solution, which would provide the affected population with a new prospect for peace and development, especially bearing in mind the great opportunities which the Maghreb Region provide on the eve of the establishment of the European-Mediterranean Free Trade Zone”.  Mr Toto Cordaro, President of the Palermo Town Council, Sicily (April 2007)

The Moroccan Initiative “will contribute significantly to reducing conflict within the region”. Ms Simona Vicari, Mayor of Cefalù and Member of Parliament for Sicily. (April 2007)

Norway

“We are very impressed by what is happening in Morocco, particularly its very constructive role which it plays this region and in the Middle East, and we are paying great attention to the reform processes which are taking place”.  Mr Thorbjorn Jagland, President of the Norwegian Parliament (April 2007) on a visit to Morocco.

“We greatly appreciate that important new elements have been placed on the table.” 

“The best solution is always that which is based on a decision of the UN Security Council”.

“We favour negotiations…. We await details of this initiative with impatience….  We have heard much about this initiative which we regard with interest and will examine it with care because it is important that a new initiative opens the way to dialogue”. 

The European Parliament

“An important step towards a pragmatic, negotiated and realistic solution between all interested parties, with the resolution of this conflict as the ultimate objective” which will also lead to “Algerian-Moroccan reconciliation” and the “renaissance of the Maghreb Arab Union”  Mr Pierre Moscovici, Vice-President of the European Parliament and French Socialist Member of the European Parliament (May 2007)

“Facing a stalemate which has lasted for years, we have a Moroccan proposal which has much merit” since it is a sound basis for negotiating a solution to the conflict, especially for the population in the camps “who continue to live on the charity of the world without any prospects for the young, the Sahrawi families who are divided between those who live in Morocco, Tindouf or elsewhere”

“Europe must follow this process and ensure that matters evolve positively within the region”   Mr Alain Hutchinson, Vice-President of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with the Maghreb and French Socialist Member of the European Parliament (May 2007)