Brussels Dec 24, 2020 (SPS) - Expert of European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), Hugh Lovatt, affirmed that the European Union should not build its relationship with Morocco at the expense of Sahrawi people and its commitments in regard to international law, "especially since this is likely to undermine European policy in such situations of occupation and forced annexation."
“The European Union is not obliged to build relationship with Morocco at the expense of the rights of Sahrawi people and the international law in general,” he said denouncing the hypocrisy of European countries through the defence of Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination on the one hand, and the maintenance of a close complicity with Morocco for the inclusion of this territory in bilateral trade relations on the other hand."
These practices lead to a threatened relationship, mainly with Western Sahara, which affects the commercial interest of Europe as well as its political and legal position and undermines the prospects for a long-term resolution of the conflict. SPS
125/090/700