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Bir Lehlu (liberated territories), 12/02/2007 (SPS) The
President of the Saharawi Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz called on his
French counterpart, Jacques Chirac, to contribute in "bringing about
a new era of peace, stability and cooperation" in the Maghreb Arab
and to the dynamic of the relations between the mentioned region and
Europe by playing "a constructive role in bringing about a just and
lasting solution to the problem of Western Sahara".
In an open letter, Mr. Abdelaziz, who declared to be astonished in
the face of the statements of Mr. Chirac who qualified the Moroccan
project of autonomy for the Western Sahara as "constructive",
recalled that "lending support to the policy of Moroccan illegal
occupation” puts France in a paradoxical situation.
"By persisting in its policy of flight forward, Morocco has dealt a
heavy blow to the efforts deployed by the international community,
particularly the United Nations, in their search for a peaceful
solution to one of the oldest problems of decolonisation in the
world, the letter stressed.
Here is the complete text of this letter:
Open letter from H.E Mohamed Abdelaziz, President of Saharawi
Republic, Secretary General of POLSARIO Front, to Mr Jacques Chirac,
President of the French Republic, 12 02 2007
Mr President,
For over thirty years, Western Sahara has been illegally occupied by
Morocco over which it has no sovereignty. This historical fact has
been confirmed by the International Court of Justice and by numerous
resolutions of the United Nations that provide for the inalienable
right of the Saharawi people to decide freely their own destiny.
By invading the territory of Western Sahara, Morocco has placed
itself outside the ambit of international legality. After having
hindered and then rejected the self-determination referendum for the
Saharawi people, as recommended by all resolutions and settlement
plans elaborated to this end, Morocco has moved into a new stage of
its annexationist and escalation policy by presenting a proposal of
a pseudo solution based on a regional autonomy that aims only to
keep Western Sahara under its domination. Morocco thus assumes the
right to decide the fate of the territory instead of the
international community and especially those directly concerned,
namely the Saharawi people.
The project that Morocco is promoting by all means in its attempt to
win the backing of the members of the Security Council is not only
illegal, as it violates the UN resolutions, but also irresponsible
because it carries the germs of destabilisation of the whole region.
It is a blatant aggression against a fundamental right that could
give rise to a serious and uncontrollable situation that would
endanger the stability and undermine the prospects for peace and
cooperation in the region, and would put to a severe test the Euro-Maghrebian
relations.
Mr President,
The Frente POLISARIO rejects this project of “autonomy” and
considers it null and void, because it aims only at perpetuating the
colonial fait accompli at a time when the international community,
led by the United Nations, has constantly been affirming peoples’
right to self-determination and freedom.
Mr. President,
It is with astonishment that we received the statement in which you
described this project as “constructive”, although it disregards the
right to self-determination and tramples on international legality.
Taking such position can only be construed as lending support to the
policy of Moroccan illegal occupation, which puts France in a
paradoxical situation.
We cannot really understand, and with us the international
community, that a country that is a permanent member of the Security
Council, the guarantor of international legality and peace in the
world, could lend its support to a manoeuvre that endorses
occupation and the denial of justice for the Saharawi people, thus
making the right of power prevail over the power of right.
Mr President,
The Saharawi people have a great idea of France, the country of the
universal declaration of human rights. We have followed, during the
past years, the positions exhibited by France in international
forums in favour of a more just and equitable world.
We are aware of the role played by your country in the settlement of
conflicts that play havoc with many regions in the world, and we
believe in the actions undertaken by France to make the United
Nations the instrument of regulation in international relations.
However, we cannot understand that the same France could deny a
people in struggle the chance to exercise their legitimate rights.
This France bearer of universal values, and one that is meant to be
attached to international legality, cannot go back on everything it
has stood for.
Mr President,
Your experience in international affairs and your great interest in
the Maghreb should have led you to play a constructive role in
bringing about a just and lasting solution to the problem of Western
Sahara by acting in favour of the right of its people to
self-determination.
You must be aware that, by persisting in its policy of flight
forward, Morocco has dealt a heavy blow to the efforts deployed by
the international community, particularly the United Nations, in
their search for a peaceful solution to one of the oldest problems
of decolonisation in the world.
Mr President,
By lending support to Morocco’s policies in Western Sahara, you are
making your country assume a heavy responsibility in the
exacerbation of tensions in the region.
At a time when we are expecting France to contribute to putting an
end to the violent acts against civilians that express publicly
their aspiration to be free in their own territory, Western Sahara,
you appear to run the risk of associating the name of France with an
operation of dispossession and spoliation of a whole people.
Mr President,
We would like to believe that wisdom and the sense of justice would
prevail and that France would realise the need to act differently in
Western Sahara. It can do it if it is willing to side with legality
by pressing for the respect for the right of the Saharawi people to
self-determination, which would undoubtedly allow them to live in
concord with their neighbours, beginning with Morocco. As you are
aware, Mr President, by acting this way history will remember you
for having made a valuable contribution to bringing about a new era
of peace, stability and cooperation in our region, and to boosting
relations between Europe and the Maghreb. The peoples of Africa and
the world would be grateful to you for that.
Please accept, Mr President, the assurances of our highest
consideration.” (SPS)
Mohamed Abdelaziz,
President of Saharawi Republic,
Secretary General of POLISARIO FRONT" (SPS) |
