A meeting between an official from the Assad regime and a representative from the Polisario Front has stirred tensions in Morocco, with reports suggesting that this development has brought Moroccan-Syrian relations to a point of no return.
Two days ago, Haider Ali Ahmad, the Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations in Geneva, received Abi Bashraya al-Bashir, the representative of the Polisario in Switzerland.
Bashir shared a picture with Ali Ahmad on a social networking site, captioning it as a “Courtesy visit.”
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He further added, “Syria is the nation for which I, along with many Sahrawi leaders, hold great appreciation for hosting and supporting us, opening its arms and the hearts of its kind and generous people to us across the country.”
Morocco’s Al-Ayyam 24 newspaper reported that “this move undermines any potential resumption of relations between Rabat and Damascus, which have been frozen since 2012 when the Syrian diplomatic team left Rabat, and its Moroccan counterpart relocated to Damascus.”
The diplomatic shifts occurred as Morocco called on the international community to “assume its full responsibilities to immediately halt all acts of violence and bloodshed and protect Syrian civilians” in the midst of the Syrian revolution. Morocco also advocated for “effective and resolute action to achieve a political transition towards a democratic setup that guarantees Syria’s unity, stability, and territorial integrity.”
“In the Wake of Approval”
In May, Morocco welcomed the Assad regime’s return to the League of Arab States, a move seen as an initial step toward rekindling ties between the two nations.
However, other Moroccan media outlets explained that “the ongoing support of the Bashar al-Assad regime for the Polisario Front has reset everything back to square one.”
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
