Referendum in Sahara is a political rather than a juridical issue, Moroccan minister says

The Moroccan communication minister said the referendum in the Sahara is a "political and not a juridical question."

Mohamed Larbi Messari told the Egyptian Al-Ahram Al-Arabi magazine that the "Sahara issue concerns, in the first place, the United Nations that allots huge amounts of money to the MINURSO and seeks to settle the issue by any means."

The MINURSO is a U.N. mission supervising the process that is to be crowned with the holding of a self-determination referendum to determine whether the Sahara -- a former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975 -- sets up on its own or incorporates into Morocco.

The referendum, proposed by Morocco in the early 1980's, has been bogging down in difficulties created by the Algerian-backed Polisario movement, which claims sovereignty over the Moroccan southern provinces.

The Moroccan minister said there exist accords and conditions on the holding of the referendum that seek "to save Algeria's face." However, he said, "It proved that Algeria does not want the referendum and prefers that the problem remains posed."

Morocco has repeatedly accused Algeria of direct involvement in the issue.

Larbi Messari renewed Morocco's attachment to the holding of the referendum. "Morocco took all practical measures for the holding of the referendum that will confirm the Sahara as Moroccan territory."