Portugal backs Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara

Portugal has joined other Western countries in expressing a positive view of Morocco's autonomy proposal for the Western Sahara region, after Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said on Tuesday the plan had a "serious and credible basis”. Speaking after a meeting between the two Foreign Ministers, Moroccan FM Nasser Bourita said that Portugal’s stance on the issue "further strengthens the cooperation between the two countries". In recent years, France, the United States, Spain, Germany and last month Britain have all backed the Moroccan autonomy plan.