The Colombian Senate has expressed its “categorical rejection” and “total disagreement” with the decision of President Gustavo Petro to restore diplomatic relations with polisario, stating that it “goes against the fundamental principles of Colombian diplomacy.” This was expressed by a motion signed by 62 senators out of 108, including the most important Colombian political parties.
“The decision taken by the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs last August, which goes against one of the fundamental principles of Colombian diplomacy, namely non-interference in the internal affairs of countries, has profound consequences and has ruined the excellent relations that we have always maintained and wish to continue to maintain with Morocco,” stated the motion.
The senators went on to deeply deplore the decision “to re-establish diplomatic relations with this separatist movement that proclaims itself as a country, but which, in reality, is not recognized by the vast majority of the world’s countries, let alone by the United Nations.”
The motion also declared that “this decision, which concerns the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Morocco, a country with which Colombia has maintained diplomatic relations for over 43 years, is paradoxical”, considering that “by digging up a resolution dating back more than 37 years, it is clear that this decision was taken without assessing the current situation, nor measuring the consequences, deeply affecting the excellent ties of friendship that historically bind us to Morocco.”
Adding that the Kingdom is “a great friend and ally, which represents for Colombia a strategic and privileged partner in Africa and the Arab world, given its leadership and recognition at the regional, continental and global level.”
The Colombian senators pointed out that Colombia has maintained, for many decades, a constructive position, supporting Morocco’s efforts to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution on the basis of this initiative, whose pre-eminence is enshrined in 18 resolutions of the United Nations Security Council since 2007, and which has been described as “serious, credible and realistic”, both by the Security Council and the international community.
The motion also praised the relations between Colombia and Morocco which have reached “an optimal level” with the countries sharing “a convergence of views on many regional and international issues of common interest.”
They added that Morocco “is the first African country to conclude a bilateral agreement with Colombia” on air services and the visa waiver agreement for holders of ordinary passports.
The motion ends with a call for the respect of Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty urging “the Government of President Gustavo Petro and his Ministry of Foreign Relations to proceed with a review of the decision adopted and to support the efforts of the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Security Council, to achieve a political, pragmatic, realistic and lasting solution to this regional dispute, in accordance with international legality, and to promote peace and stability in this region of the world.”
The senators who signed the motion represent nine Colombian political parties, including formations of the coalition forming the Petro government: Conservative Party, Liberal Party, Party U (Social Party of National Unity), and the Green Alliance party.
Among the senators opposing Petro’s decision are also members of opposition parties such as the Democratic Center party, the Anti-Corruption Governors League party (party of Petro’s rival in the second round, Rodolfo Hernandez), and representatives of independent parties such as Radical Change, Mira Party and Colombia Justa Libres.