Morocco welcomes its prisoners, holds Algeria responsible
Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 8/20/2005

Morocco expressed satisfaction over the release of its 404 prisoners who were the last shift of prisoners held by the people's front for the liberation of the Western Sahar and the Gold valley ( Polisario) under US mediation.

A statement by the foreign affairs ministry said today that the contribution of both the Polisario and Algeria in the operation was not made at the two sides' initiative or the result of their interference, noting that "Algeria is responsible for the actions and violations that took place over its soil."

The ministry's statement commended, on the other hand, the efforts of the chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the US Senate, Richard Lugard, to finish the operation in Algeria and then in Tanduf where the released men were seized.

The prisoners who represent the last shift of Moroccan prisoners arrived on Friday at Aghadir airport, 600 km south of al-Rabat, on board of a plane rented by the Algerian defense ministry.

The leader of Polisario, Muhammad Abdul Aziz, said in statements to al-Jazeera TV that the decision of the release is a good intention gesture by the front's leadership and did not come under foreign pressure. He added that such initiatives aim at creating an atmosphere for a just peaceful solution conducive to making a referendum on the fate of the Sahara district.

However, the former minister of justice in the Polisario, who split from the front, Hamti al-Rabbani, stressed that the release of the Moroccan prisoners falls in the course if a political deal.

Previous Stories:
  Polisario seeks political settlement after handing all Moroccan captives   (8/19/2005)
  Former Polisario executive calls on civil society to defend Moroccan Sahara issue   (7/13/2005)
  Former 'Polisario' leader calls on humanitarian organizations to monitor their aid to Tindouf camps   (7/9/2005)

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