SPS RASD/SWEEDEN/PARLIAMENT Sweden supports Saharawi people
right to self-determination, declares Swedish Head of diplomacy
05.12.04
Stockholm, 05/12/04 (SPS) The
Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Laila Freivalds, affirmed
last Thursday her country's support to Saharawi people right to
self-determination, underlining that the abstention of Sweden last
October in the vote on the question in the UN's fourth Committee on
decolonisation, "should not be understood as a changed political
position in the question of Western Sahara", reported a close source to
the Saharawi representation in Sweden to SPS.
In her answer to a question by the Swedish Parliament Member, Alice
Åström, the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs affirmed
the stability of the support of her country "to the right of
self-determination of the Saharawi people", as consecrated by the
international legality and Security Council's pertinent resolutions,
especially the 1495 (2003) and the 1570 (2004).
Sweden, she said, also supports “the efforts deployed by the Secretary
General of The UN, Mr. Kofi Annan, aimed at resolving this problem
within the international legality", indicated the same source, through
the application of the Peace Plan for the self-determination of the
people of Western Sahara.
The abstention of Sweden during the vote on the Saharawi question in
the Committee on decolonisation last October " should not be understood
as a changed political position in the question of Western Sahara",
emphasised Mrs. Freivalds, underlining that "Sweden will continue
maintaining its support to the right of self-determination of the
Saharawi people and will act from this position when this question will
be dealt with in the future in the General Assembly", of the UN.
The Special Political and Decolonisation Committee (Fourth Committee)
adopted last October a resolution recalling the UN of its
"responsibility towards the people of Western Sahara", underlining the
validity of "the peace plan for the self-determination of the people of
Western Sahara", which constitutes "an optimum political solution on
the basis of agreement between the two parties".
Acting within the framework of the "Implementation of the Declaration
on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples", the
resolution, adopted by 52 votes with and 89 abstentions including
Morocco who found himself forced to abstain from voting or to vote no
and stand alone against the whole international community, has
reaffirmed "the inalienable right of all peoples to self-determination
and independence, in accordance with the principles set forth in the
Charter of the United Nations and General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV)
of 14 December 1960 containing the Declaration on the Granting of
Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples". (SPS)
SPS RASD/SPAIN Fatma
El Mehdi calls the Canarian Parliament to back the Baker Plan
Tenerife, 05/12/04 (SPS) The
Secretary general of the Saharawi Women National Union (UNFS), Mrs.
Fatma El Mehdi, called the Canarian Parliament Friday to back the Baker
Plan for the self-determination of the Saharawi people, during her
meeting with Canarian Parliament members in the seat of Parliament in
Tenerife.
Accompanied with Polisario Front Representative in Tenerife, Hamdi
Mansour, Mrs. Fatma El Mehdi, who was received Friday by the
Vice-President of the Canarian Parliament, Alfredo Belda, called the
members of the Parliament to back the Baker Plan for the
self-determination of the Saharawi people, which was considered by UN's
Security Council as the optimum political solution to the conflict in
Western Sahara".
On another hand, she informed her interlocutors about the last
developments of the national question, underlining the importance of
the contribution Saharawi people's friends in Spain can bring to
convince Spanish Government "play the role it should, like Portugal and
the support it brought to resolve Timor's question conforming to the
international legality", indicated a source from the Saharawi
representation to Tenerife, to SPS.
Mrs. El Mehdi also exposed to the Canarian Parliament members "the
socio-political role Saharawi women play in the Saharawi society in the
refugees camps", added the same source.
"At the level of institutions, the Saharawi woman represents 25% in the
Saharawi Parliament, besides been the majority in education and
health", asserted Mrs. El Mehdi, adding that "the respect of the woman
is traditionally rooted within and by the family, for this our society
do not have the problems of violence against women that many other
societies suffer from".
The Secretary general of the Saharawi Women National Union (UNFS),
undertook a set of activities in Tenerife last week within the
framework of contacts with the Spanish civil society and arise
awareness among "the population of this island” indicated a source from
Saharawi representation in the island to SPS, it should be recalled.
(SPS)
SAHARA
PRESS SERVICE