Bulgaria supports Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara
Morocco continues to receive substantial support for its proposal to resolve the territorial conflict in Western Sahara. This time it is Bulgaria that has positively considered Morocco's plan for the Saharawi territory.
- Meeting between the Bulgarian and Moroccan Ministers of Foreign Affairs
- New support for Morocco's proposal
The Bulgarian country has thus become the 15th member state of the European Union (EU) to support Morocco's autonomy plan for a solution to the question of Western Sahara.
Meeting between the Bulgarian and Moroccan Ministers of Foreign Affairs
This was made clear during the meeting in Rabat between Mariya Gabriel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, and her Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita.
Discussing the Western Sahara issue, Mariya Gabriel demonstrated Bulgaria's positive attitude towards the Moroccan initiative, describing the autonomy plan as a "good basis for a solution agreed by the parties".
"We consider the autonomy plan presented in 2007 as a serious and credible effort by the Kingdom of Morocco" to resolve the regional dispute, Mariya Gabriel said in a joint official statement issued by the diplomatic representatives of the two countries.
At a joint press conference, Nasser Bourita pointed out that the Kingdom of Morocco welcomes the "positive signals" from the Republic of Bulgaria regarding the Moroccan autonomy initiative as a serious and credible basis for resolving the regional dispute over Western Sahara.
The Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs said that the fact that Bulgaria is the 15th EU member state to join the dynamic of positive support for the Moroccan position on Western Sahara confirms the good diplomatic progress maintained by the Moroccan kingdom on the important question of its territorial integrity, since the North African country considers the Saharawi territory as its own. In this way, the Moroccan diplomatic representative pointed out that the North African nation values the "constructive" position of the Republic of Bulgaria on the question of Western Sahara.
Nasser Bourita also stressed that the Joint Declaration issued at the end of his talks with Mariya Gabriel confirms the new spirit that should mark bilateral relations, noting that this declaration includes the positions of the two countries to develop these relations, while addressing regional issues, as reported by the official Moroccan news agency MAP.
New support for Morocco's proposal
Bulgaria's position signifies another remarkable support for Moroccan diplomacy, especially on the important issue of Western Sahara, a region for which Morocco proposes a broad autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, respecting UN resolutions, with the firm objective of developing the region in all areas to promote further development there.
Morocco has already won the backing of many important countries in this regard, such as the United States, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Germany and Spain. All these nations consider the Moroccan initiative to be the most serious, credible and realistic way to resolve the Saharawi dispute.
On the opposite side is the Polisario Front, which calls for a referendum on independence for the Sahrawi population. This proposal has less support on the international stage, including from Algeria, Morocco's great political rival in the Maghreb, especially after breaking off diplomatic relations with the Moroccan kingdom, which it accused of "hostile acts". All this despite the fact that King Mohammed VI has on several occasions sent conciliatory messages to resume good relations with its Algerian neighbour.