Morocco voices readiness to ease any move for fair political settlement to Sahara issue

"Morocco is determined to shoulder all its responsibilities to safeguard its territorial integrity and is ready to facilitate the task of exploring other proposals likely to reach a fair and lasting political settlement" to the Sahara issue, said Morocco's permanent delegate to the UN, Ahmed Snoussi in a letter to the security council chairman.

The letter, which came to explain Morocco's official stance regarding the evolution of the UN referendum process, recalls that the settlement plan and the identification criteria are based on clear principles which would have, if strictly implemented, allowed for the holding of a democratic and fair referendum with the participation of all Sahrawis without any discrimination.

The letter also decries campaigns by enemies of Morocco's territorial integrity to prevent Sahrawis who were not present in the territory during the population census conducted in 1974 by the Spanish colonial authorities from being identified as eligible candidates. Snoussi also spoke of the UN measures to settle the identification difficulties and which were never applied in view of obstacles, sown by the other side.

Morocco, as per request, has submitted, during the meetings with (UN secretary general's special envoy) James Baker solutions to the whole set of problems which are not only limited to appeals (to identification rolls)," the letter stated, adding other problems were related to the problem of refugees, updating the lists of candidates who reached the age of 18 in 2000, war prisoners, re-assessment of all harms suffered by our candidates, following the testimonies of heads of tribes who rallied Morocco, in addition to numerous other problems entailed by the non-respect of rules by the other side.

The letter, which traces the history of the issue, recalls that it was Morocco which proposed the holding of a self-determination referendum over a part of its territory, formerly occupied by Spain and recovered in respect of international legality. It also insists the often-cited Houston agreements of 1997 which were supposed to partly settle the identification of some tribes to which the other party was opposed were never implemented, due to the obstacles erected by the other side. It was until the arbitration of the secretary general in 1999 that the process was finally re-launched.

The letter further states that it was not the first time that an alternative solution to the settlement plan is envisioned by the world body. As early as in 1992, the former UN secretary general, Boutros Ghali, had put forward this formula.

Morocco also deplores the belligerent statements calling for war and for breaking the cease-fire that came to hamper all UN efforts for a new path meant to end an artificial conflict and the 25-year-long tragedy of populations sequestered in the Polisario camps.

Morocco also denounced "the dynamic of violence and war that some circles want to re-activate at a time countries of the region are aspiring to peace, stability and welfare.

The kingdom, which voiced resolve to shoulder all its responsibilities and safeguard its national territorial integrity, renews resolve to continue to bring all support to the Security Council, the secretary general and Mr. Baker, as announced and stated by top officials of the Moroccan kingdom.