U.N. Security Council extends U.N. Sahara mission
Morocco-West Sahara-UN, Politics, 7/21/1998

The United Nations Security Council on Monday approved the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in the Sahara (MINURSO) for an additional two months that will expire on September 21, 1998.

Under a new resolution on the Sahara issue, the Council decided to extend the mission's mandate to allow it to complete the identification of would-be voters in the self-determination referendum in the Sahara.

The MINURSO, which monitors a cease-fire observed since September 1991, includes 243 observers, other military personnel and 78 civilian policemen.

The Council urged the Morocco and the Polisario to cooperate in a "constructive manner" with the United Nations for the implementation of the U.N. settlement plan and the relevant accords.

The council "noted with satisfaction that the Moroccan government expressed readiness to cooperate with the High Commissioner for Refugees to make the HCR presence in the Sahara official."

In this connection, Morocco's Permanent Representative to the U.N., Ahmed Snoussi, expressed in a statement to the press, Morocco's "ardent desire" that the UNHCR starts rapidly its program to protect the refugees sequestered in the Tindouf Camps (southwestern Algeria and stronghold of the Polisario).

This mission, he said, will shed light on the statements made by defectors who risked their lives to flee the Tindouf camps, Map reported.

Successive waves of Sahrawi refugees, including Polisario officials, left the camps and returned to Morocco. These include Brahim Hakim, former foreign minister and ambassador to Algeria of the Sahrawi republic, self-proclaimed by the Polisario, and its former representatives in North America and in Canada.

In a related development, Nancy Soderberg, the envoy who handles African matters for the United States at the United Nations, said in a statement that the council did not intend to extend the force past September unless it was confident outstanding voter issues had been resolved.

She also praised the progress achieved during the past three months in the identification of would-be voters in the referendum.

In a recent report to the Security Council, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said there had been a substantial increase in the pace of identification in June and early July.

The referendum, proposed by Morocco, is designed to determine whether the Sahara sets up on its own as claimed by the Polisario or incorporates definitely into Morocco.

Initially set for December 7, the referendum will most likely be postponed until next year.

Annan said in June 1998, that MINURSO has so far identified a total of 135,667 would-be voters since the identification operation first started in August 1994. A total of 60,112 applicants were identified before the operation was interrupted in December 1995 because of the Polisario's refusal to take part in the identification of some tribes.

Annan said he will submit his next report by September 15 instead of mid-August.

"If, by then, it appears that there is still a possibility that the settlement plan can be implemented, I shall submit a revised time-table along with the report to the Security Council," he said, adding "if, on the other hand, it appears that the settlement plan is no longer viable, it will be my intention to include recommendations on the continued viability of Minurso's mandate."

The identification operation was initially scheduled to wind up by May 31.

Previous Stories:
  U.N. chief recommends extension of U.N. Sahara Mission   (7/14/1998)
  Moroccan prime minister accuses Polisario of hampering voter identification   (6/29/1998)
  Some 127,472 applicants identified, 20,000 others remain   (6/20/1998)

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