Burkina Faso will continue to press for exclusion of Sahrawi republic from OAU
Morocco-Burkina Faso, Politics, 6/7/1999

Burkina Faso said it will continue to press for the exclusion from the Organization of African Unity (OAU) of the Sahrawi Republic (SADR), self-proclaimed by the Polisario.

"There is no change in the position of Burkina Faso," which will continue to press for the exclusion of the SADR from the OAU, Burkina Faso Prime Minister, Kadre Desire Ouedraogo told MAP news agency.

The SADR was illegally admitted as a member of the OAU during the 1984 African summit. The decision prompted founder Morocco to quit the pan-African organization.

"The position expressed by Burkina at the OAU is always in force. We call for legality and law in the functioning of our organization," Kadre Desire Ouedraogo said.

That is why "we said during the OAU summit, held in Ouagadougou in June 1998, that as long as the international community and the OAU back the referendum process in the Sahara, we have to wait till the end of the process to admit a state as member of the organization," he said.

For the Burkina Faso Prime Minister, the OAU musters sovereign and independent states. This entity (SADR) does not meet these admission criteria.

Moroccan Prime Minister --who visited Burkina Faso over the weekend as part of an African tour that led him to Senegal, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire and Gabon-- told the press in Ougadougou that Morocco left the OAU, after the organization made a "disloyal and illegal" decision. He said Morocco will not return to the organization until this mistake is corrected.

"Morocco quitted the OAU but continued to develop bilateral and multilateral relations with the majority of African states," he said, adding that "Rabat is at ease in this position."

Youssoufi, who was accompanied by four ministers, mps and businessmen, conferred with President Blaise Compoare of Burkina Faso and with several Burkina officials on ways to enhance bilateral relations.

During the visit, Morocco and Burkina Faso concluded three cooperation accords, namely a convention between the two countries's trade departments, an agreements between their chambers of commerce and an accord between employers' associations.

In Ouagadougou, Youssoufi also conferred with President of the Western African Economic and Monetary Union, Moussa Toure, on cooperation between Morocco and this regional grouping.

Previous Stories:
  Morocco's return to pan-African organization will be warmly welcomed, Cote D'Ivoire diplomat   (5/29/1999)
  Morocco maintains solid ties with most African countries, prime minister says   (5/11/1999)
  Senegal backing to Morocco's rights over Sahara is conform to international legitimacy, diplomat says   (4/19/1999)

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