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Amendment of EU-Morocco association agreement to include Western Sahara, Sidati expresses condemnation

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Brussels (Belgium), May 11, 2018 (SPS) - Saharawi delegate Minister for Europe Mohamed Sidati on Monday strongly denounced European Commission 's adoption of the agreement concluded between the European Union (EU) and Morocco, in the form of exchange of letters on the amendment of Protocols 1 and 4 to their association agreement to include Western Sahara.
"The Polisario Front takes note and strongly denounces the European Commission's action," Sidati told APS, deploring the "very serious" action of "robbery" at the European level.
The Saharawi diplomat stressed that by virtue of the right to self-determination, Western Sahara holds distinct and separate status from Morocco, and no economic activity can be undertaken on the territory without the consent of Western Sahara people.
He added that the amendment of the EU-Morocco association agreement to include "deliberately and expressly" Western Sahara "undermines" international community's efforts to settle the conflict.
The adoption of the agreement by the European Commission, according to the Saharawi minister, is an "obvious desire" to "undermine the efforts of Kohler," the UN Secretary-General's special envoy for Western Sahara.
The Saharawi official regretted the approach of the European Union, which "instead of participating in the settlement of the conflict, encourages the intransigence of the (Moroccan) aggressor."
The adoption of such an agreement may "seriously undermine the credibility of the EU and its institutions," Sidati stressed.
It is an "affront" to the European court of justice which issued "crystal clear" decisions on Western Sahara in December 2016 and February 2018. (SPS)
062/ SPS/ APS