Security Council extends mandate of U.N. Sahara mission

The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday extended until next February 29 the mandate of the MINURSO, French acronym for a United Nations mission supervising a referendum process in the Sahara.

The extension came under resolution 1282 passed by 14 votes and one abstention, that of Namibia. The move is meant to enable MINURSO to complete the identification of would-be voters in the referendum, publish a second temporary voters' list and start the appeals procedure for the contested tribal groups (H41, H61 and J51/52).

The MINURSO had published a first list of would-be voters, but Morocco contested the list as incomplete.

The Security Council urged the parties (Morocco and the Polisario) to cooperation with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and with the MINURSO for the materialization of the measures prescribed by Resolution 1282.

The council voiced concern the referendum cannot be held before year 2002 or even later in view of divergences over appeals and refugees' repatriation.

The referendum will give the people of the Sahara -- a Moroccan southern territory that was formerly under Spanish rule and that was retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accords-- a choice between independence or integration with Morocco.

The referendum has been repeatedly delayed.