US supports Moroccan autonomy plan for Western Sahara
The United States supports Morocco's autonomy plan for the disputed territory of Western Sahara, considering it both credible and realistic, the US mission to the United Nations said on Saturday.
The announcement on Twitter comes amid an escalating spat between Rabat and the United Nations. Morocco accused UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last week of no longer being neutral in the conflict, criticizing his use of the word "occupation" to describe Morocco's annexation of the region at the center of a struggle since 1975, when it took over from colonial power Spain. This week Morocco ordered the United Nations to withdraw 84 international civilian personnel from its peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara, MINURSO. It said this was a response to Ban's "unacceptable" remarks.
