Annan recommends extension of Minurso term
Morocco, Politics, 12/15/1998

United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, recommended the extension of the term of the U.N. mission for the referendum in the Sahara (MINURSO) until next January 31.The extension of the MINURSO term will help carry on talks with the hope that these contacts will lead to an accord on the different protocols without harming the integrity of the set of measures proposed, Annan said in a report to the U.N. Security Council.The U.N. mission is supervising a process to hold a self-determination referendum in the Sahara to determine whether this former Spanish colony sets up on its own, as claimed by the Polisario Front, or be incorporated into Morocco.The Secretary-General said if prospects of the completion of the identification procedure remain uncertain, he intends to ask his personal envoy, James Baker, to assess the viability of the MINURSO mandate.Annan asked the parties (Morocco and the Polisario) to agree on a package of measures destined to speed up the enforcement of the settlement plan, its major provisions regarding the simultaneous implementation of appeal procedures for applicants who were already identified as potential voters and of the tribal groups H41 -- H61 and J51/52 who wish to present themselves individually.These provisions also include the officialization of the presence of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees in the territories as well as the drawing up of a revised time-table by virtue of which the transition period would begin in June-July 1999 so that the referendum takes place in December 1999.Annan said "the proposed measures were officially accepted by the Polisario and had the absolute backing of Algeria and Mauritania, while the government of Morocco renewed in a memorandum dated on November 20, 1998, the concerns its had initially expressed during my trip to Marrakesh.""In this document, the Moroccan authorities wants more clarifications on some proposals before giving an official opinion on the set of measures proposed by the United Nations," he said.Morocco's position regarding the proposals made by Annan during last month's tour in North Africa pushed some circles to pretend that the kingdom turned down the U.N. chief's plan. However, Rabat promptly denied the news as baseless and renewed adherence to the U.N. settlement plan for the Sahara.The plan is stumbling over obstacles erected by the Polisario to foil the referendum process. The Algerian-backed guerilla movement is denying to the tribal groups H41, H61 and J51/52 the right to be identified as would-be voters in the referendum.Morocco insists that these tribes, made of genuine sahrawis who had fled the Spanish colonial authorities' repression, should be allowed to participate in the vote."Regarding the concerns expressed by Morocco, I would like to confirm that the measures proposed will give the right to all applicants to be heard, both during the initial identification phase and within a fair and global appeal procedure."He underlined that the final voters list will not be published before the end of the appeals procedure of the applicants of all tribal groups."The implementation of my proposal to simultaneously launch the identification and appeal procedures would be a clear evidence to the two parties' readiness to accept a compromise and to speed up the process in line with the wish publicly expressed during the past few months," Annan said.For the UN chief, the officialization of the HCR presence in the territory and the signing of agreements over the return of refugees are essential confidence-building activities to ensure the safe return of refugees before the start of the transition period.

Previous Stories:
  Morocco says Sahara issue is used to slow Moroccan development and for geopolitical reasons   (12/14/1998)
  Morocco denies rejecting Annan's Sahara proposals   (12/12/1998)
  Moroccan lower house debates Sahara issue   (12/9/1998)

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