WASHINGTON, Mar 24, 2011 (AFP) - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday reiterated US support for a Moroccan plan for autonomy in the disputed Western Sahara.
Clinton, standing with visiting Moroccan Foreign Minister Taeib Fassi Fihri, said the US administrations of president Bill Clinton, president George W. Bush, and now President Barack Obama have steadfastly supported the plan.
"We have stated our belief that Morocco's autonomy plan is serious, realistic and credible, a potential approach to satisfy the aspirations of the people in the Western Sahara to run their own affairs in peace and dignity," Clinton told reporters.
The Polisario Front group demands a self-determination referendum in Western Sahara, a phosphate-rich territory that was annexed by Morocco after Spain withdrew in 1975. Morocco has only offered greater autonomy.
The two sides have held a series of talks in the United States in recent months but the UN special envoy Christopher Ross says neither side has indicated any willingness to change its position.
The Polisario and Morocco blame each other for the deadlock.
A sixth round of talks on the future of the Western Sahara under the aegis of the United Nations broke up March 9 in Malta without signs of progress.
During a press conference, the Moroccan foreign minister said the two countries "decided to establish a new strategic partnership... to try to work together for the stability and progress in the region of Maghreb."
On Libya, he expressed hope for a ceasefire: "It's important first to have a ceasefire and then to have an inclusive dialogue between all the people not only in the east of Libya in Benghazi," held by rebels, "but also in the west."
"We are following this revolution noting that there are some new expression in Libya and there are also some people who continue to support Colonel Kadhafi," he added. "The people of Libya have to decide."
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Copyright AFP 2011.
