Austria renewed its support on Friday for the autonomy plan presented by Morocco, describing it as a “very serious and credible contribution” towards reaching a final resolution to the artificial dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.
Morocco’s 2007 autonomy initiative is a “very serious and credible plan, and a key contribution” to advancing the UN-led process toward a definitive solution for the Sahara issue, said Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in a press statement, according to Morocco’s News Agency (MAP).
Speaking after a meeting with Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, held on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly, Schallenberg expressed satisfaction with the “excellent” relations between Austria and Morocco.
“We have a long history of very fruitful diplomatic relations between Austria and Morocco,” Schallenberg noted, highlighting that these ties span economic and political sectors.
The Austrian diplomat voiced his country’s desire to deepen these relations further.
Schallenberg also celebrated the signing of a bilateral agreement on the transfer of convicted persons during this meeting, calling it a reflection of the “partnership and friendship between our two countries.”