Several African leaders regret Morocco's absence from OAU
Morocco-OAU, Politics, 9/8/1999

Several African leaders have regretted Morocco's absence from the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which is holding an extraordinary summit in Libya starting this Wednesday.

Morocco withdrew from the organization in 1984 to protest the membership granted to the Sahrawi republic since a referendum slated for July 2000 is still to determine whether the Sahara, a former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accords and where the Algerian-backed Polisario movement want to establish their state, would remain within Morocco or stand up on its own.

Several African foreign ministers who attended in Tripoli the OAU ministerial conference prior to an extraordinary summit convened by Libya have called for the return of Morocco, a founding member, within the African organization.

The OAU's secretary general, Salim Ahmed Salim, expressed hope that Morocco will rejoin the organization, arguing that, "All parties are fully aware of its contribution within the organization, being one of the major founding members." "We are also aware of Morocco's help in African countries' struggle for independence," he went on, adding that he understands the conditions that led Morocco to withdraw from the OAU and hopes that things will be settled as soon as possible so that the kingdom resumes its seat within the organization.

For his part, Senegalese Foreign Minister Jacques Baudin denounced the persistence of the situation and said, "We continue to denounce the situation, because we want the basic principles of the OAU charter to be respected, mainly those related to the membership criteria."

By accepting a member that does not meet conditions of a state, namely sovereignty and independence, the OAU has violated its charter provisions, particularly articles 4 and 28, he said.

It is unacceptable that a political entity, still seeking to establish a sovereign state meeting international conditions, enjoys the same status as independent and sovereign states, Baudin argued.

The head of the Senegalese diplomacy recalled that one of the OAU member states has submitted a request for a legal consultation at the OAU secretariat general's legal council. To the question whether the OAU charter provides for the admission or the exclusion of a state, the council gave a negative answer. The same answer was also issued to a Senegal's question whether the organization charter provides the admission, as a full member, of an entity that does not meet criteria of independence and sovereignty.

In a statement to MAP's special envoy in Tripoli, the foreign minister of Cote D'Ivoire, Amara Essy, also expressed the same regrets regarding the absence of "a great country," adding that it is difficult to build Africa without Morocco, an economic power in the continent.

He also hoped that causes that were behind Morocco's withdrawal will disappear soon, adding "Everybody is wishing for the return of Morocco, especially as the kingdom is one of the founding members of the organization. The absence of Morocco is unacceptable."

He went on that everybody supports the referendum in the Sahara as a means to settle the problem.

On his part, Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa hoped that Morocco will return to the organization.

Previous Stories:
  Libya wishes end to causes behind Morocco's withdrawal from Organization of African Unity   (9/6/1999)
  Morocco calls African organization to conform to international legality   (9/4/1999)
  Senegal says debate on exclusion of Polisario entity from African fold will resume   (8/11/1999)
  Morocco adheres to pan-African position on Sahara referendum   (7/16/1999)

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