Morocco is committed to settlement plan

Moroccan Minister of Interior Idris Al Basry stated that Morocco is committed to the settlement plan which was approved by the UN for holding a referendum in the Sahara. He stated that his country intends to offer aid in order to help all phases of the referendum succeed.

Sources in the UN Minoroso mission declared that since the process of registering in the voting lists began on December 3, no violations were reported which might endanger the identity determination process. It was also noted that there has been great participation in the registration process which encouraged the mission to open new registering centers in addition to the 12 previous centers.

Sources said that the number of people of Saharan origin who are registered in the voting lists reached 61,517, including those who had been registered in 1995.

Minoroso sources added that they expect that the identity determination process in the Sahara will end within the 6 coming months. If those expectations become reality, releasing prisoners and returning refugees to their homes will immediately follow in order to take the necessary preparations to place the region under UN supervision during a transitional period that will end on December 7, 1998.