Gulf countries back Morocco in UN-Western Sahara row

Saudi Arabia's King Salman and other Gulf leaders have expressed their support for Morocco in its recent clash with the United Nations over the sensitive issue of Western Sahara.

Relations between Morocco and the United Nations were tested recently when a peacekeeping force was ordered by authorities to leave Western Sahara.

Rabat insists that the disputed territory is an integral part of Morocco, and there can be no negotiations on Western Sahara's status.

On the same day that the US President Barack Obama was in Saudi Arabia's capital, Morocco's King Mohammed made a short visit to the kingdom. 

There, King Salman expressed his support for Rabat in the "Moroccan Sahara" issue, Arab News reported.

"We stress our mutual solidarity and support for all the political and security issues which concern your brotherly nation, foremost among them the Moroccan Sahara issue, and we reject completely any prejudice to the higher interests of Morocco," said Salman in a statement.

Last month Morocco expelled 83 civilian staffers of the UN's peacekeeping force in Morocco and shut down a military liaison office. 

It followed the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's use of the term "occupation" when referring to the status of Western Sahara during a visit to Sahwari refugee camps.

Although he did not mention Ki-moon by name, King Mohammed was reported to suggest that the UN chief was misled by his advisers. 

During the meeting, Morocco also expressed its full support in participation in a military coalition of Muslim countries, led by Saudi Arabia.

"The security and stability of the Gulf states is in Morocco's interest. We have similar views on common issues which increase the depth of the ties between our nations," King Mohammed said.

Morocco has been a firm military backer of Saudi Arabia and part of the Riyadh-led coalition in Yemen, which is fighting rebel forces including the Shia-Zaydi Houthis.

Saudi Arabia's diplomatic support for Morocco comes ahead of a UN security council vote on Thursday about whether to renew the mandate of its Western Sahara mission. 

The force was established in 1991 after a ceasefire ended a war that had broken out.

Many Sahrawis have campaigned for the right to self-determination and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a full member of the African Union.