New York- Omar Hilale, who was entrusted by King Mohammed VI with the position of ambassador, Morocco's permanent representative to the United Nations Organization, handed on Thursday to UN secretary General Ban Ki-Moon a message from the Sovereign, on the latest UNSG report on the Sahara.
During the meeting, the Moroccan diplomat underlined Morocco's fundamentals regarding the Sahara issue and pointed out that "any deviation from this framework will be dangerous" for the negotiations process.
"Upon high instructions of HM the King, I was received by the Secretary General of the UNO to whom I handed a Royal message related to the UN latest report on the Moroccan Sahara", Hilale told MAP, noting that he seized this opportunity to recall "the fundamentals of political negotiations" which are "remaining faithful to the UN security council 2007 resolution that defines the mandate of the UN secretary general personal envoy".
Hilale also recalled that King Mohammed VI had, during a phone conversation with Ban Ki-Moon in August 2012 "called for preserving the Personal Envoy's mandate of mediation, promotion of political settlement and supervision with precise terms as well as Morocco's contribution within the United Nations."
This reminder of the terms of reference illustrates "Morocco's attachment to the political process", its earnest engagement in negotiations under the auspices of the secretary general and the Security Council, and at the same time its "firm opposition" to "any deviation from this framework that would be dangerous to the entire negotiations process."
Hilale further argued that "as much as we are attached to the process of seeking a political, lasting and mutually acceptable solution to this regional dispute, as much we will oppose with strength and determination any attempt to use the issue of human rights to harm the integrity of Morocco's territory".