Rabat - Morocco has always been in favour of normalising relations with Algeria, which is called upon to fully assume its responsibility in the settlement of the Sahara issue, Minister Delegate to the Foreign Minister, Mbarka Bouaida said on Tuesday.
In a response to a question on Moroccan-Algerian relations at the Lower House, the Minister said that Morocco is committed to reinforcing its bilateral and regional cooperation and has called in this respect on Algeria to normalize bilateral ties and to fully assume its responsibility vis-à-vis the artificial dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.
Morocco, she said, stresses the need for a Maghreban Union that should not be held hostage to the Moroccan-Algerian relations and the Sahara issue.
The Moroccan official said that the escalated tensions in the Moroccan-Algerian relations are a result of Algeria’s direct involvement in the artificial dispute over Morocco’s territorial integrity.
Algeria has the upper hand on the separatists and plays a detrimental role in the UN process to find a lasting resolution to the issue, she deplored, pointing out to Algeria’s schemes to isolate Morocco and undermine its initiatives at the regional and international levels.