Algeria seeks to create vassal state in Moroccan sahara, diplomat
Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 2/21/2002

Morocco's permanent representative to the United Nations, Mohamed Bennouna, on Tuesday accused Algeria of seeking to create a vassal state in the Moroccan Sahara.

"The Algerian proposal on the possible partition of our Saharan provinces targets the creation of a micro state under Algerian protection," Bennouna told the Moroccan public TV channel TVM.

The diplomat underlined that Morocco had expressed in due time its unavailability to discuss such a proposal with whomever.

Bennouna's statements came as a reaction to a report made Tuesday by UN Secretary general, Kofi Annan, on the Sahara issue, which mentions the proposal made by Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, in the name of Algeria and of the separatists, during a meeting in Houston with James Baker, the UN secretary general's personal envoy for the Sahara.

Bennouna underlined that the said proposal, providing for a potential partition of Moroccan Saharan provinces actually seeks the creation of a micro-state under the protection of Algeria, which aspires to secure a passageway to the Atlantic Ocean. "We accurately note the expansionist meaning of the Algerian proposal," Bennouna said.

In his report to the security council, Annan proposes four options: the first is to implement the settlement plan, the second will be to revise the framework agreement, the third deals with partitioning the territory and the fourth proposes the end of the MINURSO mission.

In his observations and recommendations, Annan notes regarding the third option, which is the partitioning of the territory, that his personal envoy, James Baker, sees that even though Algeria and the separatists support a potential partitioning of the territory, it would be useless to carry on for the moment such discussions (.) since Morocco refused to discuss this approach.

Previous Stories:
  Morocco exacts unconditional release of Moroccans detained on Algerian soil   (2/14/2002)
  Association calls for inquiry in siphoning of parcels sent to Moroccan prisoners detained in Algeria   (2/4/2002)
  Settlement of Sahara issue lies in UN framework-agreement, Moroccan fm   (1/21/2002)

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