147,112 persons identified as potential voters in referendum
Morocco, Politics, 9/1/1998

The U.N. mission for the referendum in the Sahara (Minurso) has so far identified 147,112 potential voters in the referendum that the U.N. plans to hold in the area.

In a press release sent this Monday to MAP, the Minurso said some 87,000 would-be voters were identified since the resumption of the identification process last December 3. The UN mission said that some 415 persons were identified during the last week of August alone.

The identification operation resumed last December 3 after almost a two-year suspension, due to the refusal of the Polisario (an Algerian-backed guerilla movement, claiming sovereignty over Morocco's southern provinces) to participate in the identification of some tribal groups driven by the Spanish repression outside the Sahara.

The referendum is designed to determine whether the Sahara sets up on its own or incorporates with Morocco.

Initially set for next December 7, the referendum has been delayed due to problems in the identification operation.

Last month, the Security Council approved a resolution extending the Minurso mandate for an additional two months that will expire on September 21, 1998.

In his latest report on the Sahara issue, the UN secretary General was optimistic that the identification of applicants from all tribal groups and sub-factions, will be completed in August 1998, with the exception of contested groups.

Previous Stories:
  Security Council satisfied over progress in UN settlement plan in Sahara   (8/27/1998)
  Returning accusation, Moroccan diplomat says Polisario violates freedom of movement   (8/25/1998)

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