Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his American counterpart Anthony Blinken affirmed - today, Tuesday - the partnership between their two countries, and they talked about several issues, including normalization between Arab countries and Israel, the issue of the Sahara and the war in Ukraine.

In a joint press conference with Blinken after their meeting in Rabat, Bourita said that the Moroccan-American relationship is based on a strong partnership that has regional extensions, especially in Africa.

He added that the talks dealt with the Moroccan-American partnership in Africa, noting that Morocco is the only African country that has a free trade treaty with the United States.

For his part, Blinken said that the United States considers Morocco a strong partner at the international and continental levels, and stated that his country is working to help Morocco overcome the consequences of water scarcity.

He added that the United States has strong security cooperation with Morocco, and that it wants to build on it to strengthen cooperation in all fields in Africa.

Bourita said his country welcomes the Spanish position on the Sahara issue (Reuters)

Normalization and the two-state solution

On another topic, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said that the tripartite agreement (in reference to the agreement to normalize relations between Morocco and Israel under US auspices) is a message that the two-state solution can be achieved with East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine.

Bourita expressed his country's thanks to the United States for its sponsorship of the tripartite agreement with Israel signed in 2020.

In turn, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that normalization treaties between Arab countries and Israel help reach solutions that improve the conditions of the Palestinian people.

Blinken added that normalization agreements are not a substitute for the two-state solution, but they can enhance this solution.

He added that, together with the US partners from Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco and Israel, proposals were reached that Washington hopes will positively affect the situation in the region.

He pointed out that his visit to Morocco comes after a summit he described as historic in the Negev with partners of the United States (in reference to the meeting of the foreign ministers of Morocco, the UAE, Bahrain and Israel), saying that he believes that the normalization of relations will positively affect the peoples of the region.

Mr. Bourita: The tripartite agreement is an affirmation of the need to reach a lasting and just solution in the Middle East, within the framework of the two-state solution, by establishing a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side with the State of Israel.

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Sahara issue

In another matter, the Moroccan Foreign Minister said that considering autonomy as a solution to the Sahara issue is the position of the United States, Europe and Arab countries as well.

Bourita added that his country welcomed the Spanish position on the issue of the Sahara, and saw in this a development that would open new horizons for Rabat's relations with Madrid.

The war in Ukraine

With regard to the war that Russia has waged against Ukraine since last February 24, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said that his country supports Ukrainian sovereignty over its territory and supports negotiations to reach solutions to the crisis.

For his part, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said he did not see any indications that there was progress by Russia in its negotiations with the Ukrainians.

Blinken added that Washington is focusing on what the Russians are doing in Ukraine, not what they say.

The US Secretary stressed that there is a difference between what Russia says and what it is doing, saying that it must stop the bombing and withdraw its forces from Ukraine.

Blinken stated that the Ukrainian people have a strong will and will not allow Russia to determine the fate of their country.