Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he had discussions with his Moroccan counterpart during the formulation of the UK-Morocco Joint Communiqué on whether Morocco’s willingness to engage in discussions in good faith extends to dialogue without restrictions.

On 1 June, the Foreign Secretary co-chaired the 5th session of the UK-Morocco Strategic Dialogue in Rabat with Minister Nasser Bourita. Discussions were wide-ranging and constructive, reflecting the strong bilateral relationship and shared commitment to a strengthened strategic partnership.

The Foreign Secretary endorsed Morocco's autonomy proposal as the most credible, viable and pragmatic basis for a lasting resolution of the Western Sahara conflict. In that context, we continue to support the UN-led process to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution, based on compromise, which conforms with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including the principle of respect for self-determination.

The Joint Communique expresses our shared conviction to renew efforts to support the UN Personal Envoy of the Secretary General for Western Sahara in the search for a solution to the Western Sahara conflict, underlining that the only viable and durable solution will be one that is mutually acceptable to the relevant parties, and is arrived at through compromise. We welcome Morocco's stated commitment to further detail and willingness to engage in good faith with all relevant parties, to expand on details of what autonomy within the Moroccan State could entail for the region, with a view to restarting serious negotiations on terms acceptable to the parties.