The position of the Spanish government in support of the Moroccan autonomy plan, as being "the most serious, realistic and credible basis" for resolving the dispute over the Moroccan Sahara, stems from Spain's "genuine desire" to contribute "actively" to the settlement of this conflict which has lasted too long, said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday.

"Spain has taken this decision with the full will to take a step forward" towards the settlement of this dispute, Mr. Sanchez told the Spanish Congress of Deputies.

The autonomy initiative proposed by Morocco to end the conflict over the Sahara is an approach that meets the needs and aspirations of the Sahara population, said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Former President of the Spanish Government, Felipe González, has reaffirmed in New York that the Moroccan autonomy plan is "the best solution" to achieve a final settlement of the regional dispute over the Sahara.

"It is the most serious and realistic solution that has been presented for more than forty years," González told reporters at an award ceremony of the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute, held Thursday.

he autonomy plan, presented by Morocco to resolve the dispute over the Sahara, remains "the only truly realistic solution," said Jorge Dezcallar, former Spanish ambassador to Morocco and former director of the Spanish National Intelligence Center.

Morocco and Spain; two neighboring countries that are aware of the crucial importance of preserving a solid and lasting relationship, and that share a huge potential for development, are determined to give their cooperation a more supportive and complementary dimension, especially in times of difficulty.

The opening of a consulate representing the six countries of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) in Dakhla confirms the growing support for the Sahara’s Moroccanness, and reflects the strong relations between Morocco and this regional grouping.

 

The remarks were made at a joint news conference in Dakhla by the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, and Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, following the inauguration Thursday in Dakhla of a consulate general of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

 

The Spanish government's support to the Moroccan autonomy plan for the Sahara, as "the most serious, realistic and credible basis" for the settlement of this artificial conflict, is a "correct" and "courageous" decision, said the former minister of the Spanish Presidency, Ramón Jáuregui.

Other European countries are likely to follow Spain's lead in supporting the Moroccan autonomy initiative in the Sahara, given the Kingdom's geopolitical importance, said former UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Bernard Miyet.

he Moroccan autonomy initiative to resolve the Sahara dispute is a "realistic proposal", said Jorge Dezcallar, former Spanish ambassador to Morocco and the United States, dismissing forever the idea of a self-determination referendum.