Washington's recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara goes beyond international law, Russian Presidential Special Representative for the Middle East and Africa and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told reporters on Friday.
He said, "Everything the Americans have done now is a unilateral decision that goes absolutely beyond both international law and the decisions of the UN Security Council resolution that the Americans themselves voted for."
The Deputy Foreign Minister also said that Moscow was in favor of establishing diplomatic relations between Israel and Morocco.
"We are for the fact that, of course, it is necessary to establish ties. Especially since Morocco has always had a large Jewish community and historical and human contacts are maintained," Bogdanov said, commenting on the normalization of diplomatic relations between Israel and Morocco at TASS's request.
The diplomat drew attention to the fact that some Israeli politicians were from Morocco, in particular former Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy.
The Kingdom established diplomatic relations with Israel in 1994, after the conclusion of Israel's treaty with Jordan. However, on October 27, 2000, relations were severed as the Second Palestinian Intifada began.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Morocco had agreed to establish diplomatic relations. According to him, this is "another historic breakthrough." Later, King Mohammed VI of Morocco said that he considers negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides the only way to resolve the Middle East conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking during the first Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremony, said that Israel and Morocco would work hard to establish full diplomatic relations and direct flights as soon as possible.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS