Morocco: MINURSO extension will allow finalization of identification protocol
Morocco, Politics, 3/31/1999

Morocco said it is confident that the MINURSO, UN mission supervising the holding of a referendum in the Sahara, will avoid in the future harming the candidates to registration in the referendum lists.

Following the Security Council's decision to extend by one month the MINURSO mandate, Morocco's delegate to the UN, Ahmed Snoussi, said the extension will allow for "finalizing protocols related to the identification of 65,000 candidates (to whom the Polisario is denying the right to be identified as potential voters) and the appeals procedure." He went on that the "drawing of operational directives will enable the mission succeed in the implementation of the second part of the process in the respect of the UN settlement plan principles and rules."

The Moroccan diplomat told reporters in New York that after discussions and amendments to the proposed protocols, the United Nations has decided to supervise, with vigilance, the process enforcement. The UNO, which has been informed of the numerous errors in the process, has pledged to act to avoid these errors in the coming stage, Snoussi went on.

We hope that the protocols and directives to organize the coming stage will take into account the principles and rules that would enable all the candidates (to registration) from the southern provinces to take part in the referendum, he said.

He further explained that the international community is now perfectly aware of the hardships experienced in the first stage of the process during which several candidates suffered harm. The international community now knows that both the population and the Kingdom of Morocco will remain vigilant in the carrying out of this new stage, Snoussi said.

The MINURSO mandate that was expected to expire on March 30 is now extended till April 30.

Previous Stories:
  Security Council extends by one month term of UN mission in Sahara   (3/31/1999)
  Morocco underlines positive tone of UN secretary general's latest report on Sahara   (3/26/1999)
  UN Secretary General recommends one-month extension of MINURSO mandate   (3/24/1999)

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