Morocco renews call to allow Sahrawis to vote in Sahara referendum
Morocco-West Sahara, Politics, 7/24/1998

Morocco renewed its call to enable all Sahrawi citizens to get identified for the referendum the United Nations plans to hold in the southern Moroccan provinces, which were formerly under Spanish rule.

The call was made on Thursday by Moroccan Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi, who told the Moroccan television channel "2M," "We want all our countrymen of the southern provinces participate in voicing their political will."

He added that Morocco will stay "vigilant" to ensuring the implementation of the U.N. settlement plan in the best conditions.

The United Nations is trying to settle the Sahara issue through a self-determination referendum to determine whether the former Spanish colony sets up on its own, as claimed by the Polisario, or be definitively incorporated into Morocco.

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

According to a recent report submitted by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Security Council, the MINURSO (U.N. Mission for the Referendum in the Sahara) has so far identified 135,667 would-be voters.

Previous Stories:
  U.N. opens new identification center in central Morocco   (7/21/1998)
  U.N. Security Council extends U.N. Sahara mission   (7/21/1998)
  Some 127,472 applicants identified, 20,000 others remain   (6/20/1998)

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