Brussels, 13 July 2020 (SPS) - The Polisario representative for Europe and the European Union (EU), Oubi Bouchraya Bachir, said it was obvious that the EU does not recognize Morocco's alleged sovereignty over Western Sahara, recalling that the European institutions had ruled on the separation between the two territories, Morocco and Western Sahara
Reacting to recent statements by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, who said that the Union does not recognize the Morocco's alleged sovereignty over Western Sahara, the Saharawi official stressed, in an interview with the APS, that "this statement is indeed remarkably clear, which explains why it has had so much impact."
The Saharawi Ambassador pointed out that "on the substance, it is not a change of doctrine: it is simply the consideration of the legal framework that is imposed on all since the 2016 ruling of the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU)". He argued that "this statement is more legal than political, and that makes sense."
Last week, in response to Spanish MEP Miguel Urban Crespo, Borrell said that food products from occupied Western Sahara can only enter the European market with information on origin, and therefore labeling, stating that they do not come from Morocco but from Western Sahara.
"The fundamental demand of the Saharawi people is to exercise their right to self-determination. This demand is driven by a political will but we do not claim anything: we have been asking for the application of the law (...) for more than 60 years now," the Saharawi diplomat insisted. (SPS)
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