US Policy’s Impact on Morocco’s Sahara Issue
The US continues to keep a safe distance from supporting Rabat in its ambitions in the disputed region of western sahara. But western media continues to misreport what top US officials say
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated on March 20th in Washington his country’s support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan to settle the Sahara issue, stressing that the United States continues to view this plan “as serious, credible, and realistic” according to agency reports.
Yet have those reputable news agencies, scrutinizing every word of the State Department statement, sexed up what Blinken actually said? For the Moroccans, there is no doubt that the three words “serious, credible and realistic” falls short of supporting Rabat in its objectives.
“The Secretary noted the United States continues to view Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as serious, credible, and realistic,” said the US State Department spokesperson in a release following talks between the State Secretary and the minister of Foreign affairs, African cooperation and Moroccans living abroad, Nasser Bourita, according to Reuters.
However, what Reuters did not report was the additional line added to the state department statement which distanced the US from any real support to Rabat as it described Morocco’s autonomy plan for the disputed region as “one potential approach to meet the aspirations of the people of Western Sahara”.
It also said that the US supported the UN efforts in the region.
During their talks, the Secretary of State and the minister of Foreign affairs, African cooperation and Moroccans living abroad voiced “their full support for United Nations Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General Staffan de Mistura in advancing an enduring and dignified political solution” to this regional conflict, the release added.
Bourita’s visit to Washington, marked by meetings with senior American officials both at the State Department and at the White House, is an opportunity to discuss the means aimed at further consolidating the Moroccan-US strategic partnership as well as international and regional issues of common interest.
