EU renews total support for UN peace plan in Sahara

The European Union renewed in a memorandum expressed Tuesday, "total support to the UN peace plan providing for the holding of a free, legal and neutral self-rule referendum in the Sahara."

The memorandum was released while Wolfgang Schussel, foreign minister of Austria which is holding the EU's rotating chairmanship, was delivering a speech at the 53rd General Assembly of the United Nations.

"The European Union calls all parties to carry on their full cooperation with the UN secretary-general, his special envoy (James Baker) and his special representative, to make all aspects of the peace process move forward, considerably and rapidly."

The United Nations is planning to hold a referendum in the southern Moroccan provinces (Sahara), retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accords, to determine whether this former Spanish colony would join Morocco or set up an independent state, as claimed by the Algeria-backed secessionist Polisario group.

Initially set for next December 7, the operation is facing serious problems due to the Polisario's attempts to limit the electorate to persons included in a census conducted by the Spanish colonial authorities.

The Security Council decided this month to extend the mandate of "MINURSO" (acronym in French for the UN mission for the referendum in the Sahara) until next October 31.

The UN Secretary general had announced in his latest report that with the identification of 147,000 potential voters in the referendum, the identification process is completed, except for contested tribes made up of populations to which the Polisario is denying the right to take part in the polling.

Annan's special envoy is expected to hold talks with the two parties to settle the issue of contested tribes.

Following his mission, "Baker will assess the implementability of he Plan in its present form and examine whether there are any adjustments to the plan, acceptable to both parties, which would significantly improve the chances of implementing it," Annan's report said.