UN Identity Committee lists voters eligible for Western Sahara referendum

The UN Identity Committee has listed 820,488 voters up till now who are eligable to participate in the Western Sahara self-rule referendum which will be held in December 1998.

The committee said the names included on the balloting lists were registered between August 24, 1994 and January 28, 1998.

The UN intends to open its eighth registering office in Al Zoayrat (Mauritania) in mid-February. Morocco and the Polisario agreed in September 1997 in Houston, under the auspices of the UN mediator James Baker, to hold the self-rule referendum which will put an end to a struggle that started 23 years ago.

The Identity Determination Committee represented the main point of difference between Morocco and the Polisario before the Houston agreement. The UN mission intends to end registration for voters on May 31, 1998.