List of co-sponsors of Algerian resolution on Moroccan Sahara rapidly falling apart, diplomats

The list of the co-sponsors of the Algerian resolution on the Moroccan Sahara dossier presented to the UN General Assembly fourth committee is rapidly falling apart, diplomatic sources said in New York on Tuesday.

Laos representative said during the committee works that his country did not co-sponsor the draft resolution, while envoys of other countries declared they did not at any moment agree to figure on the list, contrary to Algerian claims. The same sources said the countries that did not agree to sponsor the resolution are, besides Laos, Sierra Leone, Bahamas and Niger.

Algeria failed to make members of the committee adopt its draft resolution on the Moroccan Sahara, as they preferred to put off making their decision 48 hours to allow parties reach a consensual text. On a proposal of the European Union, backed by Canada, Senegal and Russia, the Committee decided to give parties additional time to reach a consensual draft resolution. Morocco's permanent representative in the United Nations, Mohamed Bennouna expressed in the name of the Moroccan government gratitude to the president of the Committee and all partiers that called on the committee members to show clear-sightedness in the Moroccan Sahara dossier. Morocco and Algeria are at loggerheads over the Moroccan Sahara because of Algiers' logistic, military and diplomatic backing of the Polisario separatists that are claiming the secession of this territory. Bennouna asked the Committee to draw inspiration from the Security Council's report to the General Assembly, a report that Algeria has approved as a member of the Council. The document refers to last April's resolution 1541 and to the decision of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to appoint Alvaro de Soto, to go ahead with the political mediation mission after the resignation of James Baker.