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Chahid El Hafed, 11/03/2007, (SPS) The consultant to James,
Mr. Hurst Hannum, who helped the American Secretary of State during
the elaboration of the "Baker Plan" considered that "Morocco has no
authority to impose a solution unilaterally in Western Sahara", in
an opinion he published in the "International Herald tribune", in
reaction to another opinion published in the 3 March by the
ex-American Ambassador, Frederick Vreeland, in "The New York Yimes".
He further underlined that the question of the Western Sahara is a
problem of decolonisation, recalling that the International Court of
Justice of The Hague has clearly "reaffirmed the Saharans' right to
decolonization and self-determination".
Here is the complete text of the opinion:
International Herald tribune
Morocco and Western Sahara
As a consultant to James Baker in drafting what became known as the
"Baker Plan" for Western Sahara, I must disagree with Ambassador
Frederick Vreeland's pro-Moroccan argument for an autonomous Western
Sahara in "A young king's wise proposal," (Views. March 3).
Nowhere is it mentioned that Morocco's claim to sovereignty over
Western Sahara was specifically rejected by the International Court
of Justice in a 1975 advisory opinion, which reaffirmed the
Saharans' right to decolonization and self-determination. The 1975
Moroccan march to "reclaim" Western Sahara cited by Vreeland was
government-instigated and widely condemned.
Every resolution adopted by the United Nations Security Council in
recent years has reaffirmed the right of the people of Western
Sahara to determine their own future, but Morocco has consistently
rejected any proposal that would allow the fate of Western Sahara to
be determined through a free referendum in the territory.
King Mohammed VI's proposal for autonomy may well be the most
sensible solution for Western Sahara, and it should be considered
seriously by the Sahwari government-in-exile and people. However,
Morocco has no authority to impose a solution unilaterally, and the
UN Security Council should not issue a diktat against the wishes of
the people of Western Sahara.
Mr. Hurst
Hannum, Hong Kong". (SPS)
060/090/000 111822 MAR 07 SPS
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