Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Moroccan Foreign Minister Bourita

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.