Preparations underway for holding referendum in Sahara, James Baker Says
Morocco-USA, Politics, 5/3/1999

Former U.S Secretary of State James Baker said preparations are underway for the holding of a self-determination referendum in the Sahara.

Baker, who was interviewed Friday by Moroccan Al-Ittihad Al-Ichtiraki daily, said he still acts as personal envoy of the United Nations secretary-general for the Sahara.

He termed the referendum operation as "slow," adding that the Sahara conflict is the second-longest process ever supervised by the United Nations, after that of Cyprus.

"The two parties (Morocco and Polisario) accepted the referendum, but it is difficult to obtain their consent to ensure the progress of the operation," he said, adding "We will continue our work to achieve this objective."

"I think that we should wait for another year to see if the referendum can be held or not."

A report by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Security Council has set July 2000 as a new date for the referendum. The vote will give persons of Sahrawi descent an opportunity to say whether they want the Sahara, a former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accords, to stand on its own as claimed by the Algeria-backed Polisario movement or remain integrated within Morocco.

Touching on the Houston accords he brokered between Morocco and the Polisario, Baker said that even though the accords "do not encompass all aspects related to the issue," they represent a "modest progress."

The accords put back on track the protracted United Nations plan to settle the Sahara issue. The accords, which set clear criteria for the identification of would-be voters in the vote, paved the way for the resumption of the identification process in December 1997 after a two-year suspension.

In his interview with Al-Ittihad Al-Ichtiraqi, Baker said the recent election of Abdelaziz Bouteflika as President in Algeria is a "positive evolution" (towards the settlement of the Sahara issue).

He conceded that the extent of Bouteflika's independence is yet to be proved, although, "Nothing prevents from thinking that he will be able to take decisions that his predecessor, Liamine Zeroual, could not take."

Algeria is involved in the Sahara issue through the political and logistic backing it extends to the Polisario front that claims sovereignty over the Sahara.

Previous Stories:
  UN chief recommends additional extension of MINURSO mandate, a new referendum date   (4/30/1999)
  Bouteflika's election heralds major progress in Moroccan - Algerian ties   (4/27/1999)

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