Moroccan objections taint Asian-Africa meeting

Political wrangling on the African continent has dominated discussions at the meeting of senior officials from African and Asian countries in Durban. A heated debate ensued when Morocco objected to the presence of Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic's presence.

Jessie Duarte, the foreign affairs deputy director-general, says Morocco wanted Sahrawi not to be recognised and its flag to be removed from the meeting. But Duarte says Sahrawi is an invited guest of South Africa and a member of the African Union. She says the concept of solidarity includes "not excluding people from countries where there's conflict or where there might be ongoing debate at the United Nations level."

The New Asian-African Strategic Partnership is an initiative aimed at bridging the gap between African and Asian countries through promoting political, economical and socio-cultural partnerships.

The three-day deliberations are being held behind closed doors. Duarte says a group of representatives from Morocco, Sahrawi and other countries will convene to resolve the current issue. She says the formal meeting will meanwhile continue.