Morocco renews attachment to all Sahrawis' participation in referendum
Morocco, Politics, 11/9/1999

Morocco on Monday renewed attachment to the referendum in the Sahara with the participation of all Sahrawis.

Morocco is attached to the right of all the sons of the southern provinces to participate in the referendum on the status of the Sahara as Moroccan territory, a four-member ministerial delegation said at a press conference in Laayoune.

The much-delayed 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 or remains part of Morocco.

The delegation --including Endowments and Islamic Affairs Minister, Abdelkebir Alaoui M'Daghri, Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister Mohamed Benaissa, Justice Minister Omar Azzimane and Economy and Finance Minister Fathallah Oualalou-- underlined that the issue of the Moroccan Sahara is going through a positive evolution, stemming from the recent decisions made by King Mohammed VI.

A new era has begun, and this new era is based on a new policy geared towards consolidating the symbiosis between the southern provinces' inhabitants and their king, said Mdaghri, who moderated the press conference.

While readying for the referendum, Morocco is continuing with determination its efforts to ensure the development of the southern provinces, based on its firm belief that the Sahara is Moroccan and that the projected referendum will only confirm this reality.

Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister Mohamed Benaissa highlighted the solicitude King Mohammed VI bestows on the southern provinces, as testified by the king's recent moves in this connection.

These moves include the creation of a Royal Commission for Saharan Affairs and the reactivation of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs through guaranteeing honest and transparent election of its members.

Benaissa underlined that obstacles erected by the Algerian-backed Polisario will not make Morocco give up its commitment to the holding of a referendum with the participation of all Sahrawis.

The Foreign Minister, who recalled that United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan lauded Morocco's full cooperation to activate the referendum process, said Morocco is attached to the provisions of the United Nations settlement plan for the Sahara.

He also pleaded for taking into account all appeals introduced by the Sahrawis and renewed Morocco's calls for the return to the homeland (Morocco) of all Sahrawis, sequestered in the Tindouf camps (southwestern Algeria, stronghold of the Polisario).

To a question on the postponement of the referendum announced last week by Minister of the Interior Driss Basri, Benaissa said Basri only repeated what had been said by UN officials on the matter. The Moroccan government has neither the competence nor the authority to decide on a postponement, Benaissa said.

He recalled that the UN secretariat general had actually released a statement saying that in view of the pace of things and as the UN pledged to look into all appeals lodged, it will be necessary to reconsider the arrangements for the organization of the referendum by postponing the date by two to three years.

Previous Stories:
  Speaker of Spanish congress carries on talks in Morocco   (11/8/1999)
  Moroccan Sahrawis in Europe claim right to vote in referendum   (11/8/1999)
  King Mohammed renews attachment to UN Sahara plan   (11/8/1999)

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