03/20/2023 09:22 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel:
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today with Moroccan Foreign
Minister Nasser Bourita in Washington, D.C. The Secretary and the
Foreign Minister discussed efforts to advance regional peace and
security, reflecting Morocco’s stabilizing role on a range of
challenges in the Middle East and Africa. They discussed shared
concerns over continuing violence in Israel and the West Bank and
ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions. The Secretary expressed his
appreciation for King Mohammed VI’s leadership and long-standing
contribution to promoting stability and regional peace, including his
efforts to promote a secure and prosperous future for Israelis and
Palestinians. The Secretary and Foreign Minister discussed Russia’s
war in Ukraine, support for elections in Libya, and instability in the
Sahel.
The Secretary and the Foreign Minister affirmed their full support for
United Nations Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General Staffan de
Mistura in advancing an enduring and dignified political solution to
the Western Sahara conflict. The Secretary noted the United States
continues to view Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as serious, credible, and
realistic, and one potential approach to meet the aspirations of the
people of Western Sahara.
