The Netherlands considers the autonomy plan, presented in 2007 by Morocco, as “a serious and credible contribution to the political process spearheaded by the UN” in finding a lasting solution to the Sahara issue.
By this new position, expressed in the joint statement issued after talks in Marrakech on Wednesday between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, and his Dutch counterpart, Wopke Hoekstra, the Netherlands have come to clearly join the international momentum of support for the Moroccan autonomy plan to definitively bring to a close the long-running dispute over the Sahara issue.
The Hague’s new position comes in the wake of the support expressed by the United States, Germany, Spain and the Philippines for the autonomy initiative presented by Morocco in 2007 as the only basis for ending the dispute.
In the joint statement, which sanctioned the Bourita-Hoekstra talks, the Netherlands and Morocco reaffirmed their support for the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, and his efforts to pursue “a political process aimed at achieving a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution,” in accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
Bourita’s meeting with the head of the Dutch diplomacy took place on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition Against Daech.
HA/lb/as/APA