Sanchez defends support for autonomy in Sahara, denies deal with Morocco

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez defended his country's position in support of autonomy in the Sahara inside Morocco, denying that the transformation announced by Madrid in March 2022 was the result of a deal with Rabat. His remarks came in a lengthy interview with Borja Fernandez, and aired on the Memorias de Bethe YouTube channel on Sunday, November 8, according to what was published by the "Lakome" website.

Asked if Spain had abandoned an important bargaining chip for free, Sanchez rejected that characterization. He considered that his government's position is based on the conviction that Madrid should play an active role in the search for a settlement. He considered that autonomy within Morocco may be the most achievable solution, due to a review by several countries of options for settling a dispute that has been going on for more than five decades, rather than to a bilateral trade-off between the two countries.

He explained that European countries and members of the Security Council have reached close assessments on the potential of this solution, calling for moving towards a position that opens up prospects for settling the conflict. He referred to Spain's historical links with the Territory, and to the humanitarian assistance directed to the Sahrawi refugee camps. The issue of Sahrawis acquiring Spanish citizenship was also mentioned within the debate as one of the tools that may allow Spain to play an active role, without details of new procedures or a timetable in the excerpts presented.

When his interlocutor expressed doubts about the Sahrawis' acceptance of this approach, he referred Sanchez to United Nations proposals, Security Council resolutions, and the positions of the United States and European countries. He stressed that his country seeks to contribute to the solution.

With regard to cooperation with Rabat, Sanchez linked the policy of good-neighborliness to the protection of Spanish public interests, sovereignty and borders, as well as cooperation with countries of origin and transit of irregular migration. He stressed that Spanish sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla was not the subject of negotiation with Morocco, and that bilateral relations should be based on respect, cooperation and shared prosperity. He acknowledged that controlling the crossings becomes more complicated without the cooperation of the Moroccan side. Spanish investigations into the causes of the migration crisis in Ceuta continue.

Source: Lakm - https://lakome2.com/politique/437110/