Security Council welcomes resumption of voters' identification in Sahara referendum
Morocco-UN, Politics, 6/30/1999

The United Nations Security Council welcomed the resumption of the identification of would-be voters in the self-determination referendum the U.N. plans to hold in the Sahara in July 2000.

The council hailed the resumption of the identification operation and the cooperation shown by the parties (Morocco and Polisario), the council's chairman, Baboucarr-Blaise Jagne (Gambia), told the press after a meeting with Assistant Secretary-General for Peace Keeping Operations Bernard Miyet.

The identification of would-be voters resumed last June 15. Since then, the U.N. Identification Commission interviewed 2,328 persons, which brings the total number of those identified since August 1994 to 149,577.

The planned referendum 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.

The Security Council also hailed the role played by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in preparing for the return of refugees.

According to a time-table set by the U.N. and accepted by Morocco and the Polisario, the appeal period will start next July 15 following the publishing of the first part of the temporary list of voters, the identification operation will end on November 30, after the publishing of the second part of the temporary voters list.

The appeals period will end on February 28, 2000, and the transition period and refugees repatriation will start on March 6, 2000.

The referendum campaign will start on July 10, 2000 upon the end of the repatriation operation, to lead to the referendum on July 31, 2000.

Previous Stories:
  Some 2,328 persons interviewed by U.N. identification commission since June 15, Annan says   (6/29/1999)
  European Union voices full support to UN settlement plan in the Sahara   (6/22/1999)
  U.N. resumes today identification of Sahara referendum would-be voters   (6/15/1999)

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