UN High Commission for Refugees hails Morocco's actions for the return of refugees

Regional Coordinator of UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), Athar Sultan Khan, hailed Morocco's support and cooperation in facilitating the UNHCR task and mission for the return of the refugees.

At a meeting held Friday in Rabat with Moroccan interior state minister, Driss Basri, the UNHCR coordinator said that thanks to the assistance provided by the Moroccan authorities the HCR delegation carried out under the best conditions its prosection mission in the southern provinces and visited the infrastructures to host the refugees.

For his part, the interior minister renewed Morocco's attachment and commitment to respect the UN peace plan for the Sahara and underlined the kingdom's unwavering resolve to provide all necessary assistance to the UNHCR to ensure success to its mission.

The Moroccan minister also asked the UNHCR to associate Morocco in its humanitarian missions and keep it constantly informed on the evolution of the HCR operations to be led in the Lahmada camps (southwestern Algeria) hosting the sequestered Sahrawis who will be repatriated to take part in the self-determination referendum the UN is planning to hold in the Sahara on July 2000.

The vote will determined whether the Sahara -- a former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid Accords -- sets up on its own or remains part of Morocco.

The Moroccan minister called further for the respect of the UN revised peace plan time-table and voiced regret over the serious delay observed in the preparation for the return of refugees.