Morocco's diplomat: the vote on the Algerian draft resolution, a clear signal to S.G.
Morocco-UN, Politics, 10/20/2004

The vote on Monday by the United Nations of the Algerian-proposed draft resolution on the Sahara sends "a clear signal to Mr. Kofi Annan and to his special representative to go forward and well beyond the Baker plan and to try to find a common denominator between the parties," said Morocco's delegate to the UN Mohamed Bennouna.

Algeria has obtained the lowest score in the history of the United Nations, Bennouna told Tangiers-based "Medi I" radio station, referring to the fact that out of the 191 UN members, only 52 voted for the draft, while 89 abstained and 50 did not take part in the vote.

Morocco has done its utmost to maintain the consensus principle and extend strong support to all the efforts by the UN secretary general and his special representative, he recalled.

He went on that the world body is a space for countries to settle their problems and reach final political solutions in a peaceful and mutually-acceptable manner through negotiations, in order to restore normal relations between Morocco and Algeria and prepare the ground for the construction of the Arab Maghreb Union.

However, he went, Algeria which continues to stubbornly ignore the special representation and stall the process, hampering any quest for a political solution has taken the initiative to call for a vote.

The Moroccan ministry of foreign affairs and cooperation had deemed that the UN 4th committee has been "forced" by Algeria to vote the resolution on the Moroccan Sahara, breaking thus the traditional consensus, explaining that since the start of the committee's meeting on this issue, the Moroccan and Algerian delegations have agreed to work together for consensus.

Morocco and Algeria are at loggerheads because of the latter's political, logistic, financial and moral support to the separatist movement "Polisario" that claims the separation of Moroccan Southern provinces known as Sahara from the rest of Morocco. The former Spanish colony was retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid Accords signed with Spain and Mauritania.

Previous Stories:
  Moroccan king holds phone talks with UN chief on Sahara issue   (10/19/2004)
  Moroccan Sahara: UN Committee postpones probing Algerian draft resolution   (10/15/2004)
  Morocco calls UNHCR to shoulder responsibility of populations sequestered in Tindouf   (10/11/2004)

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