SAHARA PRESS SERVICE

Algiers, 04/02/2004 (SPS) Algeria received with "satisfaction" the last preposition of Mr. Baker, approved by Polisario, indicated Algerian President, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, deploring "the intransigent attitude'' of Morocco, that makes "any progress towards solution difficult", he said.

In a message addressed to his American counterpart, G.W.Bush, Mr. Bouteflika considered that Western Sahara's question, is a "decolonisation problem", ''and is under the responsibility of UN's Security Council, to which Mr. Baker has recently proposed a settlement plan".

In this respect he recalled of his support to Mr. Baker's efforts aimed to facilitate the latter's mission. "I did it with more pleasure, finding Mr. Baker a man so aware of international questions, deeply knowing his
mission and concerned about answering the preoccupations of all parties", underlined the head of the Algerian State in his message, re-published by APS.

On another hand, Mr. Bouteflika considered that "the edification of A Maghreb Arab union, will allow each country of the region to accelerate its development and to guarantee its stability and prosperity".

In this respect he recalled of the Algerian attempt, as the MAU's President, to held a summit that "unfortunately failed to be materialised, despite of our sincere efforts to held it", he said.

Moreover, he does not doubt that one of the major obstacles to this edification "consists in the tension unfortunately existing in our relationships with Morocco who makes of Western Sahara's question an insurmountable factor".

He considered that the bilateral relationships with Morocco "can be developed without difficulties", adding that "we are ready, for this, to find solutions to all problems with our neighbours".
 
Finally, the Algerian President reiterated to President Bush "the attachment" of Algeria to "peace in our region and in the world, and to all the importance we give to the friendship we have for the American people". (SPS)

010/090/700/TRD 042212 Feb 04 SPS