UN officially announces new secretary general's representative for Sahara
Morocco, Politics, 5/24/1999

Secretary general of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, has appointed US national, William Eagleton, as his new representative for the Sahara, Annan's spokesman announced on Friday.

Kofi Annan has informed the security council of Eagleton's appointment to the position in replacement of Charles Dunbar who resigned last March for "personal reasons." Dunbar served as the man in charge of MINURSO, French acronym for UN mission supervising the holding of a referendum in the Sahara.

The UN chief also appointed chairman of the MINURSO identification commission, Robin Kinloch, as assistant special-representative for the Sahara. Kinloch's position will be taken over by a UN top official, Eduardo Vetere, who has been serving as head of the UN office for drug control and crime prevention.

Last week, the UN secretary general made public a new date for the referendum and a precise schedule for related activities. The referendum date was set for July 31, 2000, while the identification of would-be voters would resume on June 15 and run till November 30, 1999. The appeals operations would be held between July 15, 1999 and February 28, 2000.

The transition period will start on March 6, 2000.

Morocco has welcomed the appointment of U.S William Eagleton as new personal representative of the U.N Secretary-General for the Sahara.

"The appointment of William Eaglton has been accepted by King Hassan II," Moroccan interior minister, Driss Basri had said.

The world body will hold a referendum to give to the population of the Sahara, a former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accords, the opportunity to say whether they wish to set up their own independent state as claimed by the Algeria-backed Polisario or remain within Morocco.Initially scheduled in 1991, when a cease-fire was proclaimed in the region, the voting has been repeatedly delayed due to the Polisario's maneuvers to shrink the number of people entitled to vote.

Previous Stories:
  Sahara referendum entered final straight, Moroccan minister says   (5/21/1999)
  Morocco imputes delay in Sahara referendum to Polisario   (5/20/1999)
  Extension of MINURSO Mandate Consecrates Accords between Morocco, U.N., Moroccan U.N. Representative Says   (5/17/1999)

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