Morocco renews attachment to Sahara settlement plan
Morocco has always been committed to helping the international community reach a settlement to the Sahara issue under the United Nations plan, said Wednesday minister in charge of relations with parliament,Mohamed Bouzoubaa, standing in for the government spokesman.
The kingdom, he said in a press-briefing after the weekly government council meeting, has constantly upheld the holding of a referendum in the Sahara and participation of all natives and people of origin in the consultation.
The referendum seeks 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 vote is now in a deadlock because of disputes over the referendum lists.
Bouzoubaa said the Moroccan stand has not changed and there is no "third alternative," he said to a question on Baker's visit to the region.
Kofi Annan's personal envoy will be visiting within the UN settlement plan and his role will be to "see to the right implementation of the plan," Bouzoubaa said.
