November 20, 2009
Published: 5 Nov 09 07:11 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/23082/20091105/
Dictionary tool Double click on a word to get a translation
Morocco on Wednesday ordered the immediate departure of a Swedish diplomat accused of handing over official Moroccan documents to Western Saharan separatists.
Swedish ambassador Michael Odevald was summoned by Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Fihri to be told of "a serious breach in diplomatic practice and an unacceptable professional error committed by an advisor at Sweden's embassy in Rabat, Mrs Anna Block-Mazoyer," a statement said.
Block-Mazoyer "gave an official document that was given by the foreign and cooperation ministry to the Swedish embassy in Rabat as part of a diplomatic
process to separatist elements linked to Algeria and the Polisario Front."
"This document then turned up in the hands of enemies of the kingdom's territorial integrity," it said.
The Polisario Front seeks independence for the Western Sahara, a territory annexed by Morocco after Spanish settlers left in 1975.
The statement said that the foreign ministry had organised a briefing on Sahara developments to which diplomats were invited, including from Sweden which currently holds the rotating European Union presidency.
"Block-Mazoyer's giving away this official document breaches ethical and
diplomatic professional rules (so) Moroccan authorities demand (her) immediate
departure."
The Swedish foreign ministry confirmed it had been informed of the Moroccan request.
"These are bilateral issues, it has nothing to do with the EU presidency as far as I know," spokesperson Cecilia Julin told AFP in Stockholm.
Asked if the diplomat was going to leave the country, she said "normally you respect decisions like that."
UN-backed talks on the territory's future are currently stalled. Four rounds of negotiations on the territory held in Manhasset, a suburb of New York, could not bridge the gap between Morocco and the Polisario Front.
An informal bid to unblock negotiations took place on August 10th in Vienna.
Morocco offers considerable autonomy to the Sahrawi people. The Polisario Front wants a referendum on self-determination, with independence as one of the options.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
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Your comments about this article:
What Sweden should do is to stoped all imports from Moroco, it is the only way to make them come to terms.
well most of european they are against terroristes when is targeting their interset but they supported against Third country like Morocco
this terrorist group who 's backed by algeria where 360 000 ppl killed by algerian Military and algeria who cancelled the election of 1992 when FIS(front islamique of salvation) won the election !
why Swedish diplomat didn't help FIS ? and why didn't help kabylies independance who seeking for it since 1963 ?
the answer is easy petro-dollar .algerians illegitim governors use their petrole to shut the mouth of ONU and also Swedish diplomat.
the world becomes a game of interest
which term u talking abt ?
term of terroristes and terrorism
wat abt the term of the election in 1992 when FIS (front islamique) won the election?
and kabylies who seeking for independance in algeria since 1963
you don't know even the year Morocco free his sahara from the occupied spain
was not 1979 was on 1975
I think you are ignorant and i'm sure you are terroriste from algeria who trying to seek a road to the atlantic ,using this terroriste group polisario
in amagla was a war 1976 between Morocco and algeria not polisario where the victory was totaly Moroccan
we dont export anything to sweden man so u dont have to stop anything !!! stop sending stupid diplomats to us.if you want to help all communities all over the world who want indepandance,then you should start from algeria where kabilye want indepandance,they you can other african countries.if sweden is pro polisario its because they are pro-algerians and more clearly PRO ALGERIAN OIL.SO YOU CAN STOP IMPORTING FROM MOROCCO NO PROBLEM DUDE!! ( Iam wondering we export anything !!)
if she is that sensible to the sahraoui people fight she can ask for a office in algeria ,she must be happy that she didnt go to jail in morocco for spying, in other arabic countries it would happen .