The Philippines expressed on Thursday their firm support for Morocco’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while describing the autonomy plan as a “good basis” to resolve the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.
“On the subject of the Sahara, we are determined to defend the principle of sovereignty and equality of States enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations”, affirmed the Philippine Minister of Foreign Affairs, Teodoro Locsin Jr., during a point joint press briefing with Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Living Abroad.
In this context, he stressed that all States “enjoy the right to full and complete sovereignty over all their areas of competence”, recalling that the Charter of the United Nations requires sovereign States to refrain from resorting to to force against the political independence and territorial integrity of any Member State.
“We condemn and reject the use of separatism (…) as a diplomatic weapon. The cruellest conflicts are those where neighbors turn against neighbors”, insisted Mr. Locsin Jr., who co-chaired, Thursday in Rabat, with Mr. Bourita the 2nd session of the Morocco-Philippines Political Consultations.
Referring to the autonomy plan for the Sahara presented by Morocco, the head of Philippine diplomacy hailed a “good basis” for finding a political solution to this artificial conflict.
