France shifts Western Sahara stance, seeking closer ties with Morocco

Associated Press

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — France has backed Morocco’s autonomy plan for the disputed Western Sahara, shifting a decades-old position and adding itself to a growing list of countries to align with Morocco as a United Nations-mediated peace process remains stalled. In a letter to King Mohammed VI on Tuesday, France’s President Emmanuel Macron called the autonomy plan that Morocco proposed in 2007 the “only basis” to solve the conflict, dealing a blow to the pro-independence Polisario Front. France’s departure from its historic position is a major victory for Morocco and follows similar shifts from the United States, Israel, Spain and a growing list of African nations with which Morocco aims to deepen trade ties.