Morocco

I should like at the outset to express to you, Sir, on behalf of the Kingdom of Morocco, our sincere congratulations on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its fifty-seventh session and to assure you of my delegation's full cooperation with a view to achieving a fruitful outcome to the session. I should also like to take this opportunity to extend greetings to the Swiss Confederation and congratulations on its membership of the Organization. Given the cultural, humanitarian and intellectual heritage of that friendly country, its contribution will enrich the work of the Organization. We also wish to congratulate Timor-Leste on its forthcoming accession to the Organization, and to wish that country every success. Just three days have elapsed since the first anniversary of the tragic events of 11 September 2001. Those events deeply wounded the people of the United States and shook the entire world with horror. International relations have since entered a new phase whose dimensions and repercussions we are still assessing. Those events brought into focus the cohesion and solidarity of all segments of the American people in the face of such tragedy. They also brought to the fore the effectiveness and usefulness of solidarity and cooperation among States in combating terrorism. Indeed, as His Majesty King Mohammed VI has stated, terrorism has no religion or homeland. Everyone is aware of the Kingdom of Morocco's firm 10 stance and its renunciation of terrorism in all its forms, as well as its vigorous and concrete commitment to combating this scourge. The gradual disappearance of economic borders and barriers to trade, the continued interdependence of markets and societies, the rapid development of information and communication technologies and the relegation of certain peoples to the sidelines of the world community have all added new challenges to the burdens already carried by numerous countries, in particular those in Africa, which have made great sacrifices in order to be integrated into the world trade system. The African continent, unfortunately, is still a stage of tragic, complicated and generally fabricated conflicts. While Africa teems with huge natural and human resources, those very resources paradoxically become the cause and the fuel of many conflicts. Yet the international community remains hesitant to take decisive and necessary measures likely to create a climate propitious for peace and stability in our continent. Seldom are the underlying reasons for conflict and instability in Africa taken into account. Of special importance in that regard are poverty, famine, the oppression of minorities, intolerance, control of natural resources, increased flows of refugees and displaced persons and health problems including endemic diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS. But now, to face up to all these challenges, our continent has established an integrated framework: the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). It will certainly give new impetus to the economic and social development of the continent. Morocco, expresses its hope that the international community will mobilize all its efforts within the framework of this energetic programme in order to reach effective and concrete solutions for solving the problems of our continent. My country is firmly intent on making an effective contribution to this endeavour. The Kingdom of Morocco, convinced of the organic link between economic growth and the maintenance of stability and security, has spared no effort to help in settling African conflicts. In this vein, Morocco, on the initiative of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, convened a summit of heads of State of the Mano River Union, which was held at Rabat on 27 February 2002. At the summit, the Presidents of the sister countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone achieved practical results on consolidating regional peace, particularly with regard to laying down criteria for confidence-building, border security and revitalizing the work of the general secretariat of the Mano River Union. Morocco will pursue the necessary efforts to restore peace and stability in that region. In the same vein, the Kingdom of Morocco continues its support for and contribution to the work of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), with a view to putting an end to conflict in that sisterly country, conflict which threatens stability in the whole region. In that context, my country, the Kingdom of Morocco, welcomed the agreement concluded on 30 July 2002 between the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. The Kingdom of Morocco expresses also its profound satisfaction at the restoration of peace and stability in the sister country of Angola, which will enable that country to rebuild its economy and to fully play its role at the regional, continental and international levels. Concerning the issue of the Moroccan Sahara, the Kingdom of Morocco would like to recall its constant good will, and its sincere and genuine determination to reach a final political solution to this fabricated issue. Morocco has always cooperated with the United Nations in this regard, thus bearing testimony to its full understanding of and sense of responsibility towards the Organization. Morocco would like also to emphasize its readiness to continue its cooperation with the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy, Mr. James Baker, with the Security Council, in order to achieve a lasting political solution to the issue of the Sahara, in accordance with Security Council resolution 1429 (2002). Such an approach will pave the way for the creation of propitious conditions for a new dynamic in the region of the Arab Maghreb, which will enable it to become a stable economic partner that enjoys the trust of other regional groupings. In this context, Morocco has supported the option of the framework agreement proposed by Mr. Baker to the Security Council as a basis for a negotiated political solution for this long-standing conflict. That option would preserve the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco and its historical sovereignty over its land, and would ensure for the population of the Sahara provinces the exercise of expanded competencies in the management of their affairs within the framework of regional democratic institutions. Morocco accepted this option as a basis for negotiation in order to reach a final and lasting political solution to this regional conflict. In the same context, Morocco insists on the enforcement of the provisions of Security Council resolution 1429 (2002), calling for the immediate release, without restriction or condition, of all the 1,260 Moroccans detained in Algeria. Their release has been demanded unanimously by the international community and humanitarian organizations, in the forefront of which is the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Morocco categorically rejects any political exploitation of humanitarian issues related to the Sahara problem, especially since this concerns the fate of the longest-held detainees in the world. The Kingdom of Morocco is linked to Europe by strong and diverse historic bonds. The strengthening of these bonds with all European countries constitutes a central tenet of our foreign policy. The Association Agreement which has been concluded with the European Union, and the other initiatives to strengthen Moroccan-European relations at the political, economic, cultural and social levels, reflect Morocco's determination to enhance this relationship, particularly at a time when the European Union is in the process of expanding its membership, something that would open new opportunities and horizons for Moroccan- European partnership. This approach not only seeks to achieve a bilateral strategic objective between Morocco and Europe, but it is also a valuable contribution to nurturing relations in the Euro-Mediterranean region, whose security and stability have become paramount for the world. Morocco, by virtue of its Mediterranean identity, plays a positive role in the strategic, economic and cultural formation of a Euro-Mediterranean space, as witnessed by its active participation in the Barcelona process and in the Agadir initiative announced by His Majesty King Mohammed VI for building a free-trade area among Arab Mediterranean countries. In that spirit of open-mindedness, responsibility and confidence in the future, Morocco aspires to develop its relations with our neighbouring country, Spain, with a view to building the Euro-Mediterranean region and moving forward. Unfortunately, however, recent months have been marked by events that are inconsistent with the maintenance of security and stability in the region and that are unlikely to serve the interests of the two countries and their peoples. Morocco has spared no efforts in avoiding any move likely to affect adversely the steady growth of its relations with Spain, hopes that the upcoming Moroccan-Spanish talks, which will take place in Madrid this month, will tackle all issues and conflicts between the two countries, within the framework of responsible, calm and constructive dialogue. The completion of Moroccan territorial integrity is an absolute priority for His Majesty King Mohammed VI and for the entire Moroccan people. Therefore, Morocco considers the status of the occupied cities of Sebta and Melilia and of the neighbouring islands to be an anachronistic instance of colonialism that has no place at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Morocco has never ceased, neither at the bilateral level nor in international forums, to officially demand the recovery of these parts of its national territory that are occupied by Spain. In so doing, it has always expressed its readiness to engage in dialogue in order to arrive at a solution that would guarantee Morocco's sovereign rights and secure the interests of the Spanish community in the areas. We fervently hope that the two neighbouring kingdoms, Morocco and Spain, which are bound by ties of neighbourliness, common history and future, will build strong, stable and neutral relations to meet the aspirations of both peoples. As they build with mutual respect, confidence and common strategic interests, these relations will take into account the need for preserving stability and peace in our region, particularly at this specific juncture when the international community is confronting formidable security challenges. In spite of continued appeals made by the international community to bring about peace in the Middle East, the Palestinian people still suffer on a daily basis from the mad violence inflicted on them by the Israeli occupation forces and practices that flout the most elementary principles of international humanitarian law. Notwithstanding successive Security Council resolutions, Israel still persists in its repressive policy, paying no heed to any international covenant 12 and denying the very agreements into which it has entered. In contrast, leaders of the Arab States have demonstrated a keen sense of responsibility and a continued pledge to embrace peace, culminating at the Arab summit in Beirut in March 2002 with the adoption of the Arab peace initiative presented by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Abdullah ibn Abdul- Aziz of the sister Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, Morocco welcomes the vision advocated by United States President George W. Bush, in which he called for the establishment of a Palestinian State to coexist side by side with Israel, as a lasting and viable solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, one likely to achieve peace and security for all peoples of the region and to put a definite end to violence and instability. However, recent events and developments in the region do not, unfortunately, give substance to this vision. The spiral of violence has instead witnessed an unprecedented escalation. For decades, the Kingdom of Morocco has been endeavouring to act as a bridge between the peoples of the region, with a view to achieving a climate of peace and security and contributing to the revitalization of the peace process, the creation of an independent Palestinian State with Al-Quds al-Sharif as its capital and the recovery by Syria and Lebanon of their territories occupied since 1967. In view of the importance of Al-Quds al-Sharif as a key point in the peace process, and seeking to preserve the national and religious identity of this Holy City in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, is continuing his efforts, along with brother Kings, Emirs and Presidents of the Muslim member States of the Committee, with the United States of America and the Russian Federation in their capacity as peace patrons, and with the presidency of the European Union, with His Holiness the Pope and with the United Nations Secretary-General, in order to safeguard the Islamic Arab character of Al-Quds al-Sharif and to preserve it as a place of coexistence and tolerance among the three revealed religions. The Iraqi issue has become a major preoccupation for the entire world, owing to the suffering of the Iraqi people. For this reason, while we demand that Iraq implement the relevant United Nations resolutions, we also call for deep reflection and patience in dealing with the Iraqi question, hoping that the Iraqi Government will respond to the international community's request. The aim would be to avoid the infliction of further suffering, distress and misery on the Iraqi people. At any rate, the United Nations is required to act within the framework of its Charter's principles and purposes in order to preserve the stability and security of all countries in the region. In this context, Morocco expresses its concern with regard to the Kuwaiti prisoners of war and missing persons, and the need to preserve the unity and independence of the State of Kuwait. Morocco also emphasizes the need to preserve Iraq's unity and sovereignty over all its territory. The same region is witnessing another conflict involving two sister States that have strong bonds of friendship and cooperation with Morocco — that is, the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic of Iran. My country is hopeful that our brothers in Iran will become convinced of the need to settle the conflict over the islands of Abu Musa, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb, by peaceful means, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter and the rules of international law. This will affect positively their bilateral relations, as well as the stability and cooperation in the region. In conclusion, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Kingdom of Morocco, as a member of the African, Arab, and Muslim family and given its position in the Euro- Mediterranean region, has always held dear the basic values of tolerance, moderation, open-mindedness and dialogue in dealing with the international community. Morocco will always honour its obligations towards the international community to strengthen the foundations of security and stability and to give impetus to the new visions charted for the world of the twenty-first century. We will always remain ready to contribute within the United Nations to finding the most efficient means of improving conditions in the world.