SAHARA PRESSE SERVICE

Algeciras,(Spain) 08/08/2004 (SPS) A march of solidarity with the Saharawi people took place Saturday in Algeciras with the participation of all associations of solidarity with the Saharawi people in Andalusia, reported Spanish newspaper "La Razon", in its Sunday's edition.

More than 5000 persons, raised their placards, through the streets of Algeciras to criticise the foreign policy, in relation to Western Sahara, the socialist Government of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero adopted.

The demonstration started at 8 a.m parting from Maria Cristina Park, passed around the city for two hours before reaching Moroccan Consulate in Algeciras, where many personalities spoke to denounce the actual policy followed by Zapatero towards the Morocco-Saharawi conflict and the rejection by Morocco to comply with the international legality.

In this respect, the Parliament member from the Greens PSOE, Francisco Garrido, warned that "the Saharawi people can not be a money for change to a policy of good relationship with Morocco", adding that ignoring Saharawi people's right to self-determination will be "a historical mistake".

On his side, the President of the Association of Gibraltar, Isabelle Bandrés, underlined that this that day "is not a day of fiesta for us, it is instead a day for claims because Western Sahara remains occupied by Morocco and the international community, like all those who talk about international legality, have forgotten this international legality in Western Sahara".

In his intervention, the Secretary of the Association of Friends of Saharawi people in Algeciras, Pablo Bianchi, criticised the actual position of the Spanish Government, emphasising that the demonstration, "in front of this consulate (Moroccan consulate) which represents the interests of the country which, illegally and by the use of force, occupies the land of the Saharawis", intervenes to denounce the Moroccan colonialism.

The President of the Andalousian Federations and Associations of solidarity with the Saharawi people, Francisco Guerrero, the Counsellor of the IU in Algeciras, Andrés del Río, the Parliament member, Francisco Garrido and Polisario Front's delegate to Andalusia had all expressed their preoccupation about "the new change Spanish foreign policy is taking regarding Western Sahara".

Since 1991, Andalusian associations of support to Saharawi people demonstrate to claim for the settlement of the conflict of Western Sahara conforming to UN's resolutions in order to allow Saharawi, actually exiled in refuges camps in Tindouf –Algeria-, to go back to their homeland Morocco occupies during already 30 years. (SPS)

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SADR/FRANCE/SOLIDARITY
Reception of Saharawi children at Saint-Nazaire

Saint-Nazaire (France), 08/08/2004 (SPS) a group of Saharawi children in holidays' colonies in France was received Friday by the Assistant Mayor of Saint-Nazaire, Mrs. Arlette Rausseau, at the Mayoralty, in the presence of many local elected officials, reported a close source to the Association of the Friends of the SADR (AFRASD) in France.

The reception took place with the presence of the President of the AFRASD, Francis Jacob, the Secretary General of the association, Régine Villemond and the President of the Nazarian Committee of the friends of the SADR, Alain Hardy.

Giving a speech during the reception, Mr. Jacob denounced the Government of Morocco, which "continues putting obstacles in front of the referendum process in Western Sahara", calling international community to enforce the peace plan for the self-determination of the Saharawi people.

A concert animated by the Saharawi famous singer, Mariem Hassan, within the framework of the Festival of Escales (port of call), held from the 6th to the 7th August at the quay of the city was attended by the children who performed national songs and dances for an hour an a half. (SPS)

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Algiers, 08/08/2004 (SPS) Many political figures, Parliament members and scholars took part to a conference organised by the Association "Mechaal al-chahid" (Torch of Martyr) Sunday in Algiers at the Press Centre of the Algerian newspaper El-Moudjahid in solidarity with Saharawi people in its struggle for self-determination.

This conference, held within the framework of the "Week of Brotherhood and Solidarity with the Saharawi People", which is organised by the Mayoralty of Algiers Centre, took place with the presence of an important Saharawi delegation chaired by Prime Minister, Abdelkader Taleb Omar.

Mr. Tounsi Ben Amer, university researcher, put forward Saharawi people's right to self-determination "within the framework of the resolution 1514 of the General Assembly of the United Nations, issued in 1960, which affirms the right of any people living under foreign occupation to dispose of itself".

In this respect, the scholar recalled the verdict of the International Court of Justice of in 1975, which confirms Saharawi people right to self-determination through referendum.

In their interventions, the historian, Tahar Ben Aîcha, and the former Head of the Government, Belaîd Abdesselem, both underlined that the support of Algeria to the Saharawi cause "is a matter of principle, which comes out of the high price Algeria paid to get its independence".

On his side, Saharawi Prime Minister, Abdelkader Taleb Omar, hailed the "invaluable and unshakeable" support of Algeria and thanked the organisers of this week of solidarity.

The week of solidarity began Wednesday in Algiers Centre, and was marked by many cultural activities and meetings between the Saharawi delegation and Algerian elected officials.

The President of the Algerian Association of Solidarity with Saharawi people (CNAPS), Mehrez Lamari, and many other representatives of NGOs also participated to the event. (SPS)

SPS
SADR/ALGERIA/SOLIDARITY
Prime Minister received by his Algerian counterpart Ouyahya

Algiers, 08/08/2004 (SPS) The Prime Minister, Abdelkhader Taleb Oumar, member of Polisario Front's National Secretariat, was received Saturday by his Algerian counterpart, Ahmed Ouyahya, at the Seat of the latter's Government with the presence of Saharawi minister of Occupied Territories and Communities, El Khalil Sidi Mohamed, the Minister of Culture and Sports, Mrs. Mariem Salek Hmada, the Wali (Governor) of El Aaiun, Mansour Oumar and SADR's Ambassador to Algeria, Mohamed Yeslem Beissat.

On the Algerian side, the meeting was attended by the Secretary of State for foreign affairs in charge for African and Maghreb's affairs, Abdelkader Messahel.

The Saharwi ministerial delegation visited earlier the University MHamed Bougara in Boumerdes where the General Union of Independent Students (UGEL) had organised a conference under the theme "Freedom" within the framework of the week of solidarity with the Saharawi people which is taking place from the 3rd to the 10th August in Algiers Centre.

The conference was also attended by the President of Algerian Committee of support to Saharawi people (CNASPS), Mehriz Amari, senior executives in the ministry of education and representatives of the movement of solidarity with the Saharawi people and of Algerian civil society. (SPS)

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SPS
SADR/AFRICAN UNION
SADR's delegate takes part to the constituting conference of the Association of African Judges

Maputo, 08/08/2004, (SPS) SADR's delegate, Dih Moctar Daf, took part to the constituting conference of the Association of African Judges, which took place the 5th and 6th August in Maputo, Capital of Mozambique, reported a close source to our Embassy in the African capital.

Among the important subjects discussed in the conference, it was noted, were debated the aspects of crime's globalisation and the circumstances of the implementation of law in Africa as well as the role of the Ministries of Justice in the development of the African continent.

Finally the participants elected an executive bureau composed of five members and three assistants for a mandate of two renewable years, and decided to hold their next meetings in Malabo (Equatorial Guinea) in 2005 and in Cairo (Egypt) in 2006. (SPS)