Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his Finnish counterpart Elina Valtonen. Photo
On Tuesday, August 6th, Finland officially joined the list of EU member states that have recognised Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, Asharq Awsat reports on August 7th. Helsinki also stated that Morocco’s Autonomy Plan represents a “good basis for a solution” to the Western Sahara dispute.
Read more: France supports Morocco’s proposal for autonomy in Western Sahara
This shift makes Finland the first Nordic country to officially and explicitly support the Moroccan plan, calling it the only realistic solution to the ongoing territorial dispute over the Sahara. The position was articulated in a joint statement released in Helsinki after discussions between Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his Finnish counterpart, Elina Valtonen.
Finland considers the autonomy plan presented in 2007 as a serious and credible contribution to the UN-led political process and as a good basis for a solution agreed upon between the parties,
-the statement affirmed, reiterating its support for the “political process aimed at achieving a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution”.
Additionally, both ministers conveyed their shared stance on the UN’s exclusive role in the political process, reaffirming their support for Security Council resolutions. They also emphasized their countries’ backing of the UN secretary-general’s personal envoy in efforts to move the process forward.
Asharq Awsat and agencies