Brussels, March 9, 2013 (SPS) - The Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament revealed, in a letter addressed Thursday by the President of the Group Hannes Swoboda to the Moroccan Foreign Minister, that it intends to organize a fact-finding mission to the occupied Western Sahara in the coming period, expressing deep concern about expulsion from Casablanca airport of 4 MEPs, including a Member of the S&D Group.
S&D President said, in the letter, that the Group will organize a “fact-finding mission” of a delegation of its political group to the Saharawi territory in the coming period, urging Moroccan Foreign Minister to contribute to the success of this visit.
Mr. Swoboda expressed S&D’s deep concern about the incident that took place yesterday at Casablanca’s international airport where four Members of the European Parliament, including a Member of the S&D Group, heading to El Aaiún were denied access and returned back to Europe by Moroccan authorities.
He indicated that the MEP Norbert Neuser informed, in his message of 25th February 2013, Moroccan Ambassador to the European Union about this visit of a delegation of individual MEPs and requested meetings with relevant Moroccan authorities in order to have a balanced overview of key topics to be discussed.
He therefore added that the Moroccan Ambassador confirmed, in his response letter of 5th March 2013, that this visit was not welcomed by Morocco. (SPS)
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