The US Department of State reaffirmed, on December 17, the United States’ “clear and constant” position on the Moroccan Sahara, describing Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as “serious, credible and realistic”.
In a press release preceding the visit of the United States Deputy Assistant Secretary for North Africa, Joshua Harris, to Morocco on December 17 and 18, the State Department specified that, during his meetings in Rabat, the American official “will reiterate that there is no change in the clear and consistent position U.S. position”.
“The United States fully supports UN Personal Envoy de Mistura in facilitating the negotiations process to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution” to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara, added the same source.
Noting that the United States “believes a negotiated political solution must be realized without further delay”, the statement stressed that “the outcome of UN-led negotiations – mutually agreed to by the parties and reflecting their commitment to UN efforts in a spirit of realism and compromise – would constitute the final resolution to this issue”.
In this regard, the statement explained that the United States “continues to view Morocco’s Autonomy Proposal as serious, credible, and realistic”.
The United States’ new reaffirmation represents a scathing denial of the allegations of certain Algerian media which have insinuated, following the American official’s recent visit to Algiers, an alleged modification of the position of the United States on the Moroccan Sahara.
The visit of Joshua Harris to Morocco will examine ways to further strengthen Morocco-US relations, and review a range of regional security priorities.
