Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the UK–Morocco Joint Communiqué of 1 June and the agreement to internal autonomy for the Western Sahara, whether they now recognise Moroccan sovereignty over the territory; and whether that is compatible with their vote for United Nations Security Council Resolution 1754 which endorsed the right of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara.

On 1 June, the Foreign Secretary endorsed Morocco's autonomy proposal as the most credible, viable and pragmatic basis for a lasting resolution of the Western Sahara conflict. The UK's position on the legal status of Western Sahara has not changed. We are clear that any solution to the conflict must be mutually agreed by the parties. The UK continues to support the parties and the UN to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution, based on compromise, which conforms with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including the principle of respect for self-determination. The UK will encourage dialogue and compromise with the aim of achieving a peaceful and mutually agreed resolution that upholds the dignity and rights of the people of Western Sahara and contributes to long-term regional stability.