Some 2,328 persons interviewed by U.N. identification commission since June 15, Annan says
Morocco-UN, Politics, 6/29/1999

Some 2,328 persons have been interviewed by the United Nations commission in charge of identifying Sahrawis who will participate in the self-determination referendum, the U.N plan to hold in the Sahara in July, 2000, U.N. Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, said in report to the Security Council.

The figure brings the total number of those identified since August 1994 to 149,577, Annan said in his report, made public on Monday.

The vote is destined to determine whether the Sahara -- a former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accords -- sets up on its own, as claimed by the Polisario, or remains part of Morocco.

With identification centers to be opened in the weeks ahead and with the start of the appeals process scheduled for July 15, special efforts will be made to increase the staffing of the commission by mid-July 1999, Annan said.

The U.N. chief recalled that in accordance with the protocol and operational directives for the identification and appeals, and in agreement with the two parties (Morocco and Polisario), the final program for the identification of the remaining tribal groupings H41, H61 and J51/52 was issued on June 1, 1999. These three tribes are the ones to which the Polisario was denying the right to be identified.

Touching on the military aspects of the U.N Sahara mission (MINURSO), Annan said the military component of the MINURSO stood at 230 military observers and other personnel. Under the command of Major General Bernd S. Lubenik (Australia), the military component continued to monitor the ceasefire, which came into effect in September 1991.

Pursuant to the military agreements between MINURSO and the parties, a large number of clearing (demining) operations have been successfully completed.

Regarding the refugees' repatriation, Annan said the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) continued its preparatory work for the repatriation of the Sahrawi refugees, as provided for under the settlement plan.

Previous Stories:
  U.N. resumes today identification of Sahara referendum would-be voters   (6/15/1999)
  New U.N. Sahara envoy meets Moroccan officials   (6/4/1999)
  Identification criteria for Sahara referendum are too sophisticated for local population, UN official   (5/29/1999)

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