Thursday, January 3, 2008

USA SPAIN AND WESTERN SAHARA ISSUE



US Secretary of State and Spanish Premier talk Sahara dispute


The Sahara dispute figured, here Friday, on the agenda of Spanish Prime minister , José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and US State Secretary, Condoleeza Rice.


According to a communiqué of the Spanish government presidency, the international policy part of the meeting evoked the Maghreb and the three-decade long Sahara dispute, opposing Morocco to the Algerian-backed separatist movement "Polisario".

"The Sahara and the Maghreb in general were also on the agenda of the open dialog between the two leaders, taking into account that the two countries feel they are involved in the development and well-being of the region," underlines the communiqué, without giving further information on the meeting.

The Sahara dispute was also on the agenda of the meeting, Friday, between Spanish Foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos and Ms Rice.

At the end of this meeting, Spain’s Foreign Minister said at a joint press conference with visiting U.S. Secretary of State that Spain and the United States “encourage parties to make an effort, through dialogue, to reach a final solution” to the Sahara conflict.

Spain and the United States have a “particular interest” in seeing the parties reach a “final agreement”, said Mr. Moratinos at the end of talks with Ms Rice, the first such a meeting in three years.

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