SPS SADR/KUWAIT/SOUTH
AFRICA/MEDIA "Morocco must allow
self-determination to Saharawi people”, declared the Head of the South
African diplomacy
07.12.04
Kuwait City, 07/12/04 (SPS)
South African Minister for Foreign Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma,
declared Sunday that "Morocco must allow self-determination to Saharawi
people", underlining that the recognition of SADR by South Africa came
within the framework of the position of principle of her country
"regarding the right of peoples to independence" and self-determination.
In an interview publicised Sunday by Kuwaiti newspaper "Errai Al Aam"
(Public Opinion), Mrs. Zuma underlined that South Africa firmly believe
"that Morocco must allow self-determination to the people of Western
Sahara as it was agreed upon with the late Hassan II", in the initial
UNO/AUO plan of 1991 that was signed by "Morocco and Polisario Front".
But since "Morocco has suddenly decided to abandon this process", South
Africa can not accept this attitude especially that it had postponed
its decision to recognise SADF in 1994 so as to contribute to the
success of the peace and to allow the parties to the conflict resolve
the problem through a referendum on self-determination under the
auspices of the UN, declared the Minister.
South Africa had in fact "decided to recognise the Saharawi Republic in
1994, but when friends, such as Morocco, asked us to postpone this
recognition waiting for the report of the UN's Secretary General and
his Personal Envoy, James baker, because there was a political process
in progress, we decided to wait and see what was going to happen", she
explained.
Now that "James Baker has resigned because of the attitude of Morocco
and that Secretary General emphasised in his report that Morocco has
decided that Western Sahara belonged to Morocco and that this is
unquestionable, we believe that this is unfair”, put Mrs. Zuma, and for
this South Africa did see no reason for not recognising SADR.
On another hand, she reaffirmed that the recognition of SADR by her
country was a decision that conforms to the principles of the South
African State, "because we had always backed the struggles of other
peoples for freedom especially if these struggles are for independence
because we believe in the right of all peoples to independence", she
said.
From this standing point, she underlined, and "as we backed the
Palestinian people in their struggle, we similarly are backing
Polisario Front in its struggle because Saharawi people have got the
right to self-determination", she argued.
Talking about what the journalist called "the diplomatic crisis",
between South Africa and Morocco, the Head of the South African
diplomacy affirmed that her country has got no problems with Morocco
and that Pretoria is willing to maintain natural diplomatic relations
with Rabat as long as the latter allow it.
"We certainly want to have good relations with Morocco, and we
absolutely do not want to have problems with this country, but we also
believe that justice is necessary for everybody, and that we would
defend the people of Western Sahara the way we would have defended the
Moroccan if need was", she concluded.
It should be recalled that the Republic of South Africa announced its
official recognition of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR),
according to a joint communiqué signed last September by the
Saharawi Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mohamed Salem Ould Salek and
Mrs. Nkozazana Dlamini-Zuma, South African Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The communiqué declared the decision of the two countries "to
establish diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level as of Wednesday,
15th of September 2004".
The two countries had reaffirmed "their commitment towards the
implementation of the UN/AU Peace Plan for Western Sahara and consider
that speedy holding of a just, transparent and democratic referendum of
self-determination constitutes the only viable way which both parties
to the conflict agreed to and which received the supports of the entire
international community", had emphasised the communiqué. (SPS)
SPS SADR/SAPAIN/SOLIDARITY The President of the Republic
offers a luncheon to representatives of 2370 Spanish visitors
Chahid El Hafed, 07/12/04 (SPS)
The President of the Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, offered Tuesday at
the presidency in Chahid El Hafed, a luncheon to the representatives of
the Spanish groups, who are undertaking a few days visit to the
Saharawi refugees' camps.
The President of the Republic invited more than 150 Spanish
personalities, representing some 2370 Spanish visitor from the
different autonomous regions of Spain and who are undertaking a few
days visit to the Saharawi refugees camps, to a luncheon "as a signal
of the gratitude for the solidarity and friendship of your peoples with
the Saharawi people", declared Mr. President in his speech on the
occasion.
After having tanked his guests "for their presence among the Saharawi
people", the President of the Republic recalled "the historical ties of
friendship and brotherhood that have always linked Spanish peoples and
the Saharawi people, despite of the dangers" and despite of the
historical responsibility of the Spanish Government in the colonisation
of Western Sahara.
Mr. Abdelaziz also seized the occasion to thank the peoples and the
officials from the Spanish autonomous Governments for the hospitality
and solidarity they showed him during his recent visit to Spain,
undertook last November the 26 and which led him to meet with the
leaders of many Spanish Governments and political parties, including
the President of the Central Spanish Government, José Luis
Rodriguez Zapatero.
On another hand, the President of the Republic presented the new
President of the European Parliament Intergroup "Peace for the Saharawi
People", the Austrian European Parliament Member, Mrs. Karin Scheele,
"a big friend to the Saharawi people, who replace another big friend of
the Saharawi people, the former President of the same group, Mrs.
Margot Kessler".
Talking about the process of decolonisation of Western Sahara, the Head
of the State criticised "the intransigence and irresponsibility of
Moroccan Government, which surprised everybody by disrespecting its
commitments, challenging thus the international legality and openly
declaring that it rejects any peaceful solution to the conflict", an
attitude, he underlined, which "puts the stability and security of the
whole region in a major danger".
"The international community must do its best to pressure Morocco and
to protect the peace plan for the self-determination of the Saharawi
people", he added, underlining that "the Saharawi people can not accept
a solution that does not respect its inalienable right to
self-determination".
It should be noted that every year some 5000 Spanish people, divided in
two groups of 2000 to 3000 person each one in December and the other in
April, visit the Saharawi people in the refugees' camps.
Basically composed of families from the different Spanish autonomous
region in addition to official delegations and representatives of
groups and associations of solidarity, who take profit of this visits
to contact Saharawi institutions for partnerships and projects
executions in the refugees camps, these visits became a tradition and a
demonstration of solidarity, it was indicated. (SPS)
SAHARA
PRESS SERVICE