Rabat multiplies actions in recent months to consolidate its position on the ground with support from Arab countries

Bahréin abrirá un consulado en El Aaiún  

photo_camera PHOTO/ARCHIVO  - THE King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and King Mohammed VI

The Kingdom of Bahrain has joined the Arab countries that have opened consulates in the Moroccan Sahara in the context of the consular diplomacy pursued by Rabat in order to consolidate its initiative to resolve the dispute over the Sahara, which is to grant it autonomy, but under the sovereignty of Morocco.

The King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, held a telephone conversation with the Moroccan monarch, King Mohammed VI, about the relations between the two countries, the fruitful cooperation between them and his country's intention to open a consulate in El-Aaiun, the largest city in Western Sahara.

AFP/FADEL SENNA: Moroccan-Mauritanian border post at Guerguerat in Western Sahara  

King Mohammed VI expressed to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa his "deep appreciation" for this important decision, which reflects the "solidarity" between the two brotherly countries, and his deep appreciation for the firm positions of the brotherly Kingdom of Bahrain in support of the territorial sovereignty and national unity of the Kingdom of Morocco.
The United Arab Emirates and Jordan announced earlier that they would open consulates in the city of Laayoune, as the first two Arab countries to take this step. The number of consulates in the Moroccan Sahara reached 20, after Manama announced its intention to open a consulate there.

This move by Bahrain came at a time when Morocco managed to gain broad support for its military operation to free the Guerguerat border crossing with Mauritania from elements of the separatist Polisario Front.

European parliamentarians asked the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, to support Morocco's efforts to guarantee order and security at the Guerguerat border crossing with Mauritania and to ensure the free passage of goods and people in the region. A request that followed a lightning military operation during which Rabat managed to free the crossing of the separatist Polisario Front.

AFP/FADEL SENNA: A vehicle of the Royal Armed Forces at the border crossing between Morocco and Mauritania at Guerguerat.  

The European news portal, "Political Report", reported on Wednesday that "European parliamentarians belonging to the European People's Party, Social Democrats and Renew Europe, along with a number of political figures, called on Borrell to relaunch the peace talks on the Sahara issue under the auspices of the United Nations.

These representatives expressed their concern about the escalation of tensions following the violation of the demilitarized zone by the Polisario before the intervention of the Moroccan army. The European parliamentarians welcomed the imposition of a security cordon by Morocco allowing the reopening of the Guerguerat border crossing, which is the only passage between Europe, Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa.

Although the lightning operation carried out by the Moroccan forces ended with the liberation of the crossing and the return of the movement and passage of goods amid broad Arab support, the Polisario continues to promote it because it attacks the Moroccan army daily.

The spokesman of the UN Secretary General pointed out that the United Nations is receiving reports of sporadic shooting along the northern and eastern parts of the wall. He added that the bombing operations occurred mainly during the night, indicating that the MINURSO mission continues to "contact all relevant stakeholders.

The Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations, Omar Hilal, informed the members of the Security Council about the successful intervention of the Moroccan armed forces in the Guerguerat Pass.

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