Moroccan Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar praised on Thursday stances shown by the Gulf countries in support of his country with regard to the Western Sahara issue after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last month referred to the North African nation's 1975 annexation of the region from Spain as an "occupation."

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, chairing a summit of rulers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Riyadh, issued a statement supporting his long-time North African ally as he welcomed Morocco's King Mohammed on a short visit to the kingdom.

Speaking to Asharq Al Awsat, Mezouar described Ban's statements as "proactive and irresponsible', noting that the UN is entitled only to facilitate the dialogue process in order to reach a political settlement of this issue, not to "create a new reality".

"The Moroccan people will not allow anybody to divide their country or touch its unity," he stressed.

Source: MENA