Spain Voices Support for Morocco’s Western Sahara Autonomy Plan

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (File Photo/EPA)
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (File Photo/EPA)
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Spain Voices Support for Morocco’s Western Sahara Autonomy Plan

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (File Photo/EPA)
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (File Photo/EPA)

Spain said that Morocco's Autonomy Plan is the most serious solution to resolve the Western Sahara conflict, affirming the Spanish government's support for Rabat in this regard.

Addressing the Spanish Congress of Deputies on Wednesday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that his country's support for Morocco stems from Spain’s “genuine desire to contribute actively” to the settlement of this conflict which has lasted too long.

He also affirmed that Spain has taken this decision with the full will to take a step forward towards the settlement of the dispute.

“We are determined to help settle a conflict that has lasted half a century,” he said.

“After many years of conflict and status quo in the negotiation process, the Spanish government considers that the autonomy proposed by Morocco is the basis on which there are more possibilities to build upon a solution to the Sahara issue, Sanchez stressed, noting that his country recognizes the efforts made by the Kingdom in this regard.

Sanchez affirmed that Spain’s position on the Sahara issue falls in line with that of its European partners and many other countries, adding that the European Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs also support Madrid’s decision.

The PM recalled the support voiced by France to Morocco’s proposal for years, in addition to the recent support expressed by Germany to the Moroccan initiative.

The United States continues to express its support for the approach adopted by the Kingdom, he added.

Moreover, Sanchez said all the UN Security Council resolutions since 2007 have welcomed the autonomy plan and the “serious and credible efforts” made by Morocco.



Yemen Busts Attempt to Smuggle over 1.5 Million Narcotic Pills into Saudi Arabia

Officials oversee the destruction of narcotics seized during drug busts on the Yemeni-Saudi border. (Saba)
Officials oversee the destruction of narcotics seized during drug busts on the Yemeni-Saudi border. (Saba)
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Yemen Busts Attempt to Smuggle over 1.5 Million Narcotic Pills into Saudi Arabia

Officials oversee the destruction of narcotics seized during drug busts on the Yemeni-Saudi border. (Saba)
Officials oversee the destruction of narcotics seized during drug busts on the Yemeni-Saudi border. (Saba)

Yemen’s border authorities announced on Thursday that they busted an attempt to smuggle over 1.5 million narcotic pills from the Houthi-held capital Sanaa to Saudi Arabia.

Officials suspect that such large amounts of narcotics is an indication that the Captagon industry and the manufacturing of other drugs could have moved from Syria to Yemeni regions held by the Iran-backed Houthi militias.

The Captagon industry had thrived for years under the now ousted regime of President Bashar al-Assad. He was overthrown by opposition factions in December. Iranian militias had used the Captagon trade to finance their operations in Syria.

Head of security at the Wadiah border crossing Omair al-Azab said the drugs were concealed inside a cooling truck.

Security forces at the crossing were suspicious of the truck and they searched it thoroughly, leading to the bust, he added.

During preliminary investigations, the truck driver confessed that the pills belonged to a smuggler in Sanaa, continued Azab.

He was tasked with delivering the illicit cargo to a person, whose identity he did not know, in the Saudi city of Sharurah.

He revealed that authorities have foiled several drug smuggling attempts in recent months. They seized a ton of cannabis, 15,000 Captagon pills, four kilograms of methamphetamine, and 27,300 other pills.

In February, over three tons of different drugs, seized during various busts, were destroyed in the presence of representatives of concerned Yemeni and Saudi authorities, he added.

Drugs smuggling gangs resort to innovative ways to conceal their illicit cargo, such as hiding them in watermelons, spare tires and the front seats of vehicles, Azab said.

Security forces at the border will remain on alert for any suspicious activity and to defend the nation, he vowed.

Attache at the Yemen Embassy in Riyadh Saleh al-Baidhani warned that such smuggling attempts may be a sign that Captagon was now being manufactured by the Houthis in Yemen.

This demands intensified border security and greater security cooperation between the legitimate Yemeni government and Saudi authorities, he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He confirmed that trucks smuggling drugs were coming from areas held by the Houthis.

Baidhani slammed the drug trade that is “destroying Arab youth”.