Moroccan socialist party: only respect of legality guarantees political settlement to Sahara issue
Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 11/16/2004

Supporting efforts by the UN secretary general and respecting international legality remain the only guarantee to reach a political, fair and lasting settlement of the Sahara issue, insisted the Moroccan USFP party (Socialist Union of popular forces, leftist in government).

The party which sent a memorandum on the evolution of the Sahara issue to the International Socialist secretary general Luis Ayala insists that Morocco, as a state, and the USFP, as a socialist and democratic party, have always advocated a peaceful solution that respects international legality and have backed the building of a democratic and united Arab Maghreb Union (UMA).

The UMA, a regional grouping comprising Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia, is at a standstill due to Algeria's direct backing to the Polisario which claims the separation of Moroccan southern provinces, the Sahara, from the rest of Morocco. The kingdom retrieved this territory under an agreement reached in 1975 with Spain, the former occupying country.

After recalling that in its latest resolution adopted last October, the UN security council reaffirmed the need to find a political settlement to the conflict, the USFP memorandum underlines that Morocco, respectful of international legality, continues to collaborate closely with the world body in order to craft a final political solution to the three decade-old conflict.

The USFP memorandum sent as the IS - the worldwide organization of social democratic, socialist and labour parties - is getting ready to hold a meeting of its council this Nov.15-16 in South Africa, also expresses astonishment at the South African decision to recognize the Sahrawi puppet republic, proclaimed by the Polisario. This step, says the USFP came as the UN Secretary general was about to submit to the security council a report calling for dialogue in order to move forward to a political solution and at a time 36 countries have withdrawn their recognition of the puppet republic, known as "SADR." The latest of these countries are Serbia-Montenegro and Albania.

Previous Stories:
  Algeria undertakes another desperate attempt on Sahara issue at UN   (11/12/2004)
  Algeria's labor party says it does not support Polisario   (11/12/2004)
  Sahara population rejects any settlement out of Moroccan sovereignty   (11/10/2004)

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