Blinken: Biden won’t reverse Trump’s Western Sahara move.
In an article published by Axios signed by Barak Ravid from Tel Aviv titled “Scoop: Biden won’t reverse Trump’s Western Sahara move, U.S. tells Morocco.” The source confirmed that the contents of the talks that the US Secretary of State held Friday with his Moroccan counterpart dealt with the Western Sahara issue.
The article quoted informed sources that Secretary Blinken told Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita that the administration of US President Joseph Biden “The Biden administration would not reverse President Trump’s recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara, at least for the time being”
The article cited many reasons behind the Biden administration’s decision not to reverse President Trump’s move to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Related: Western Sahara separatist leader testifies in Spanish court
“The backstory: There had been almost no contact between the Biden administration and the Moroccan government over the first three months of the new administration.
- Ten days ago, Biden’s Middle East advisor, Brett McGurk, spoke to Bourita and gave the impression that there would be no change in the U.S. policy on Western Sahara, a source familiar with the call told me.
- The State Department readout of Blinken’s call with Bourita on Friday didn’t mention Western Sahara, but two sources familiar with the call confirm that it was discussed and that Blinken said the Biden administration would not reverse Trump’s policy for now.
- According to the State Department readout Blinken “welcomed Morocco’s steps to improve relations with Israel and noted the Morocco-Israel relationship will bring long-term benefits for both countries.”
The state of play: Senior White House and State Department officials have held multiple discussions on this issue over the last few weeks.
- The decision that emerged from these discussions was not to reverse Trump’s policy but to work with the Moroccans on appointing a new UN envoy for the Western Sahara in order to try and resume talks on possible autonomy for the sparsely populated territory, according to two sources familiar with those discussions.
- The State Department referred Axios to the official readout and did not deny the contents of this story. “
The Magreb Arab Press
In its coverage of the contents of the telephone conversation between the US and Moroccan ministers, the Maghreb Arab News Agency said:
U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Abroad Nasser Bourita held a telephone conversation Friday focused on the “far-reaching” reforms undertaken in Morocco under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI.
“The Secretary and the Minister (Bourita) discussed King Mohammed VI’s far-reaching reforms over the past two decades, and the Secretary encouraged Morocco to continue implementing these reforms,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement.
Blinken commended HM the King’s “leadership” in combating climate change and investing in renewable energy and encouraged Morocco to “help promote green economic growth and development in Africa.”
The two parties discussed “opportunities to increase cooperation in Africa to promote economic prosperity and stability and the Secretary highlighted Morocco’s key role in fostering stability in the Sahel and Libya.”
The U.S. Secretary of State noted, on this occasion, “the longstanding and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship founded on shared values and interests in regional peace, security, and prosperity. “
In that regard, he “welcomed Morocco’s steps to improve relations with Israel and noted the Morocco-Israel relationship will bring long-term benefits for both countries.”
The two officials noted that this year marks the two hundredth anniversary of the gift of the American Legation building in Tangier to the American people by Sultan Moulay Suliman, an example of the longstanding strategic partnership that both countries plan to showcase throughout the year, the statement concluded. Read More On International News
