Today, Saturday, the Moroccan Foreign Ministry criticized the statement issued by Tunisia after Morocco recalled its ambassador because it received the leader of the Polisario Front, Ibrahim Ghali, at the Japan-Africa Summit (TICAD).
The ministry said in a statement that the statement issued by the Tunisian Foreign Ministry on Friday evening, "in an attempt to justify the hostile and unfriendly behavior of the Tunisian authorities towards the first national issue and the higher interests of the Kingdom of Morocco, contains many interpretations and fallacies."
She added, "The statement did not remove the ambiguity surrounding the Tunisian position, but rather contributed to its deepening."
Morocco accused Tunisia of inviting the Polisario Front to the TICAD summit "in contradiction to the express will of the Japanese partner."
The Moroccan statement said that "Tunisia did not have the right to enact a special procedure for sending invitations unilaterally, parallel and specifically to the separatist entity."
The Moroccan Foreign Ministry also commented on Tunisia’s declaration of its respect for United Nations resolutions on the Sahara issue, and said that its “sudden and unjustified abstention from voting on Security Council Resolution No. 2602 adopted last October raises real and legitimate doubts about its support for the political process and United Nations resolutions.” ".
On Friday, the Kingdom of Morocco decided not to participate in the TICAD summit - which started today in the Tunisian capital - and to recall its ambassador in Tunisia for consultations, due to the presence of the leader of the Polisario Front to participate in the summit.
The Tunisian Foreign Ministry responded in a statement by expressing its "deep astonishment at what was stated in the Kingdom of Morocco's statement of unacceptable prejudice and fallacies" regarding the participation of the Polisario in the summit.
It stressed that Tunisia has maintained its complete neutrality in the issue of the Sahara, in compliance with international legitimacy, according to the statement.
With regard to the reception of Tunisian President Kais Saied, leader of the Polisario Front, Ibrahim Ghali, the Moroccan Foreign Ministry said that “the stubborn reference in the Tunisian statement to ensuring equal reception for all Tunisia’s guests is a source of great astonishment, knowing that neither the Tunisian government nor the Tunisian people recognize this fictitious entity. ", according to the statement.
Morocco described this reception as a "blatant and unjustified hostile act."
The Tunisian presidency published on its official Facebook page pictures of the event, and said, "President of the Republic, Kais Saied, received at the presidential airport, Mr. Ibrahim Ghali, on the occasion of his participation in the eighth session of the Tokyo International Symposium on Development in Africa."