BY: Dr. Hana Saada
ALGIERS– Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) Foreign Minister, Mr. Mohamed Salem Ould Salek, urged France on Saturday to reconsider its policy towards Western Sahara in response to statements made by the French Ambassador to Morocco on March 21st.
Mr. Mohamed Salem Ould Salek, in a statement to the Sahrawi news agency SPS, stated that instead of continuing to support the occupation and the Moroccan status quo, “for the sake of balance and justice, France must reconsider its political position towards Western Sahara and adopt an approach characterized by justice and positive neutrality within the framework of respecting legitimacy and international law in Western Sahara.”
“The position of France, as expressed by its ambassador to Morocco after many years of silence, acknowledging his country’s active role in the colonial invasion against the Sahrawi people, is a long-awaited recognition of historical reality,” said Mohamed Salem Ould Salek.
He emphasized that “France, through these statements, has acknowledged its actions and mistakes in causing this conflict and its active and direct participation in it to this day,” adding, “This recognition, long overdue, is no secret to the international community.”
Furthermore, he stressed that “without France’s active complicity, the conflict in Western Sahara would not have persisted for so long, and it could have been resolved long ago. This acknowledgment, belatedly admitted, is not a secret to the international public opinion.”
Mr. Mohamed Salem Ould Salek highlighted that “the invasion and occupation of Western Sahara were carried out with incitement from France, which encouraged the division of the region, supported Moroccan expansionist ventures, and provided media and political coverage for this disastrous war that led to the mass displacement of the Sahrawi people, deaths, and destruction through air raids, including by French aircraft, as admitted by the French ambassador himself.”
“In violation of its role as a permanent member of the Security Council and in disregard of international law, France actively worked to undermine UN efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the decolonization process in Western Sahara, encouraging Morocco to continue its expansionist and destabilizing policy in Western Sahara and the region,” he added.
“France has made great efforts to divert the decolonization process from its natural course and ignore the basics of the issue,” the Sahrawi minister added, “and no longer hides its role as a promoter of ideas aimed at cementing colonial reality in Western Sahara.”
“All this is just a reminder of the serious responsibilities placed on France in the tragedy currently experienced by the Sahrawi people and the entire region,” Mohamed Salem Ould Salek affirmed.
He also considered that “the seriousness of the losses caused by this unjust war, which created a lack of security and instability for decades, and shifted the possibilities of achieving just and permanent peace, cooperation, and reconciliation in the entire Maghreb region.”
Mohamed Salem Ould Salek criticized the statements made by the French diplomat, stating that “this negative policy towards Western Sahara does not suit a country like France, which has extensive relations with the region and exercises international responsibilities in the UN Security Council and at the European Union level.”
In conclusion, the Sahrawi diplomat stressed that “for the sake of balance and justice, France must reconsider its political position towards Western Sahara and adopt an approach characterized by justice and positive neutrality within the framework of respecting legitimacy and international law in Western Sahara.”
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