Sahara identification process will be completed in August
Morocco-West Sahara, Politics, 8/21/1998

UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan said in his latest report on the Sahara issue "there are excellent prospects for completing in August 1998 the identification of applicants from all tribal groups and sub-factions, with the exception of (contested) groupings H41, H61 and J51/52."

Annan's report was submitted to the Security Council pursuant to the council resolution of July 20, 1998, by which the security council requested that the UN chief reports to it every 30 days on the progress of the implementation of the settlement plan for Western Sahara.

Regarding the issue of the contested tribes, the secretary general regrets that neither Morocco nor the Polisario have come up with any practical suggestions which would allow for a reconciliation of their points of view.

The report also notes that as of August 16, 1998, a total of 145,928 persons have been identified as potential voters in the referendum that the world body intends to hold in the territory to determine whether this former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accords would stand on its own or incorporate with Morocco.

The report "welcomes the agreements of the Moroccan authorities to formalize the presence of UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees)."

Annan also announced that in order to settle the issue of contested tribes, his special envoy to the region, James Baker, "is considering contacts with the parties in early September 1998, following which he will assess the implementability of the Plan in its present form and examine whether there are any adjustments to the Plan, acceptable to both parties, which would significantly improve the chances of implementing it." Annan added that his next report (expected by mid September) and the extension of the mandate of MINURSO (acronym in French for UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) would depend on Baker's conclusions.

The Security Council voted on July 20 to extend the MINURSO mandate until September 21, 1998.

The UN Mission which supervises a cease-fire in force since September 1991 comprises 203 military observers, 10 staff officers, 248 troopers and 80 civilian police observers.

Previous Stories:
  U.N. mission identifies 80,476 would-be voters in Sahara referendum   (7/27/1998)
  Morocco renews call to allow Sahrawis to vote in Sahara referendum   (7/24/1998)
  U.N. opens new identification center in central Morocco   (7/21/1998)

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