Italian parliamentary delegation visits Laayoune
Morocco-Italy, Politics, 11/20/1999

The Italian parliamentary delegation which started on Tuesday a visit to Morocco made a trip Friday to the southern city of Laayoune.

The Italian delegation members conferred with members of the MINURSO (U.N mission supervising the holding of a referendum in the Sahara), representatives of the city population and observers who are participating in the identification operation of would-be voters in the projected referendum in the Sahara.

They were briefed on Morocco's struggle for independence and preservation of territorial integrity as well as on the economic and social development achieved in the Moroccan southern provinces since they were retrieved by Morocco in 1975 after decades of Spanish colonization.

Head of the Italian delegation, Ivo Trolli, said he was impressed by the progress made in the region and described the Hassan II Hospital in the city as a jewel in the heart of the Sahara.

As to the projected referendum in the Sahara, he said that Italy backs the U.N settlement plan on the Sahara and that during talks with MINURSO members, the Italian delegation noted the delays made in the referendum process and got informed about the efforts made to overcome the obstacles hindering the identification process.

Sahara natives who defected the separatist polisario movement and returned home briefed the Italian delegation on the dire situation in the polisario-controlled sequestration camps in Tindouf, the daily violations of human rights, the maneuvers of the separatists to torpedo the settlement plan and the Polisario propaganda to deceive the international public opinion and ngos and receive humanitarian assistance, an assistance that is embezzled for personal needs.

They urged the Italian delegation to inform the public opinion in Italy and in the world on this situation and to endeavor to lift the siege imposed on the sequestered populations.

Previous Stories:
  Moroccan Information Day: minister wishes major changes   (11/16/1999)
  Mauritanian president meets UN special representative for Sahara   (11/15/1999)
  Arab popular forces conference backs Morocco's territorial integrity   (11/13/1999)

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