SAHARA PRESSE SERVICE

Bir Lehlu, 11/07/2005 (SPS) the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and Zambia established diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level, announced a press release by the Saharawi Ministry for Information, publicised Monday in Bir Lehlu, of which SPS received a copy.

The accreditation of the Saharawi "Ambassador to the Republic of Zambia will further strengthen our friendly relations and contribute to the reaching of our objectives", underlined the President of Zambie, Levy P. Mwanawasa, in a letter he addressed to his Saharawi counterpart, Mohamed Abdelaziz, the press release indicates.

Mr. Mwanawasa also reaffirmed that Africa is faced with challenging problems, particularly of development and peace. He estimated that the promotion of the relations of brotherhood which already exist between the two countries "comes within the framework of this vision".

Zambia recognised SADR in October the 12 of 1979. (SPS)

On another hand, it should be recalled, the Republic of Kenya and the Saharawi Republic announced, last June the 25, the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries at ambassadorial level, in a joint communiqué issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of both countries, from Kenyan Capital "Nairobi".

The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, on its part, welcomed the decision of the Government of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, SADR, to establish its Diplomatic Mission in Dar Es Salam, reported a press release by the Saharawi Ministry for Information last June the 28th.

The Republic of South Africa and the SADR decided to establish diplomatic relations and to have representations at the level of ambassadors starting from September the 15th, 2004, it was declared in a joint communiqué signed Wednesday in Cape Town by the Saharawi Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mohamed Salem Ould Salek and Mrs. Nkozazana Dlamini-Zuma, South African Minister for Foreign Affairs.

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SPS
SADR/SPAIN/SOLIDARITY
Demonstration in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in favour of a referendum in Western Sahara

Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands), 10/07/2005 (SPS) A demonstrations of support to the Saharawi people took place Saturday in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, condemning Moroccan colonial repression against Saharawi citizens who participated to peaceful demonstrations last May and June to claim for human rights’ respect in Western Sahara and for the organisation of a referendum of self-determination on the non-self-governing territory.

Organised by the Canaries’ Association of friendship with the Saharawi people and the Coordination for a referendum on self*-determination, this demonstration was backed by Trade Unions and political parties as well as committees of solidarity with the Saharawi people.

The demonstrators claimed for the release of the symbol of the peaceful resistance, Saharawi human rights activist, Mrs. Aminetou Haidar, and other Saharawi political prisoners in Moroccan custody.

The participants to the demonstration chanted slogans such as: «Long live Polisario Front», «Saharawi and Canaries’ peoples are brothers», «Canaries’ people hand in hand with Saharawi people».

Before the demonstration a press conference took place in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, attended by the Trade union, Workers Committees (Comisiones Obreras- in Spanish), the General Union of Workers (UGT) and other Canaries Islands’ Trade Unions as well as the Saharawi community living in the city. (SPS)

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SPS
SADR/SPAIN/VISITE
The President of the Republic meet with Mr. Moratinos to Madrid

Madrid, 11/07/2005 (SPS) The President of the Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, met with the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Miguel Angel Moratinos, Monday in Madrid. The two parties discussed the situation in the occupied territories and the settlement of the conflict Western Sahara, reported Algerian Press Service, APS.

During the meeting that took place in the seat of the Spanish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the President of the Republic was accompanied by the Saharawi Coordinator with the Minurso, Mohamed Khadad, and Saharawi delegate to Madrid, Brahim Ghali.

After the meeting a Saharawi source close to the Saharawi delegation informed APS that the meeting was an opportunity to inform the Spanish Head of diplomacy on the "serious and explosive" situation in the occupied territories o Western Sahara as a result to "the violent repression by Moroccan forces of occupation against Saharawi peaceful demonstrations that claims for the respect of human rights, for the release of the detainees and the right to self-determination".

The recent events in Western Sahara, which "unveiled the colonial nature of the Moroccan regime", claim for the condemnation from the international community and is also for "an official reaction from the Spanish Government that should be adequate" to the seriousness of the situation, the same source added.

In this respect, Mr. Abdelaziz put forward "the (historical) responsibility of Spain towards Saharawi people" and the necessity of Spanish reaction conforming to this responsibility within the United Nations and European Union.

On his part, Mr. Moratinos affirmed that the "respect of human right sis a main concern to the Spanish Government", which undertook "intense initiatives" near the Moroccan authorities so as the international pres can freely report on the situation in Western Sahara, indicated a source in the Spanish ministerial department.

The same sources asserted that "the basic position" of Spain on the conflict did not change and consist in the support of "a settlement of the dispute within the framework of the international legality and the UN". The only change in the Spanish position, it was noted, is that this position changed from "a passive neutrality to an intense diplomatic activity".

According to the same source Spain is in favour of the "urgent" designation of a Personal Envoy to Western Sahara of the UN Secretary General and a new responsible of the MINURSO. (SPS)

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SPS
SADR/SPAIN/PARTY
The President of the Republic meet with Mr. Aznar in Madrid

Madrid, 11/07/2005 (SPS) The President of the Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, was received this Monday in Madrid, by the former President of the Spanish Government, José Maria Aznar, currently President of the Foundation of Analysis and Social Studies (FAES).

The meeting between the two parties, which took place in the seat of the FAES, was attended by the Members of the Saharawi political direction, Mr. M’Hamed Khadad, Mr. Mohamed Sidati and Mr. Brahim Ghali. On the Spanish side the person in charge for the Foreign Affairs of the Popular Party (PP), Jorge Moragas, was also present.

In a statement to the press, the President of the Republic underlined that this meeting, the first of its kind between the two men, was an "occasion to express our gratitude, and Saharawi people’s, for the support and sympathy the Saharawi cause have in Spain".

Mr. Abdelaziz insisted on the emergency, for the Spanish executive, to "assume its responsibilities in the decolonisation of the Saharawi territory", claiming for its support to the international legality.

The Head of the State underlined "the alarming and explosive" character of the situation in Western Sahara caused by "the brutal repression" exerted by the Moroccan authorities against Saharawi civilians, who had peacefully demonstrated to "claim for their legitimate rights to self-determination and independence". (SPS)

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SPS
SADR/SPAIN/PARTY
Former President of Spanish Government, Aznar, will visit the Saharawi refuge camps in the near future

Madrid, 11/07/2005 (SPS) The President of the Republic, José Maria Aznar, accepted Saharawi President invitation and probably also the liberated territories of SADR, announced official Saharawi and Spanish sources.

"This is an event of a great importance for the Saharawi people" to see the realisation of the visit of José Maria Aznar to the refugee camps and to the liberated territories, underlined the President of the Saharawi Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, in a statement to the press after his meeting with his host. "We will work for the materialisation of this visit in the near future", he added.

On his part, the person in charge for the Foreign Relations in the Spanish Popular Party, Jorge Moragas, indicated that no specific date was appointed for the visit until now. "It is a visit that must be put within the framework of the friendship and solidarity of the Popular Party with the Saharawi people", he said. (SPS)

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SPS
SADR/SPAIN/PARTY
The administration of Western Sahara is a responsibility of the Minurso, according to the spokesperson of Aznar

Madrid, 11/07/2005 (SPS) The administration of Western Sahara is a responsibility of Minurso, according to the spokes person of Aznar and person in charge of Foreign Affairs of the Spanish Popular Party (PP), Jorge Moragas, reported Europa Press.

"This territory does not belong to Morocco according to the international legality. Moroccan authorities does not have the competence to deny entry (to Western Sahara) to anyone especially to the Spanish Medias, NGOs and Political Parties", Mr. Moragas stressed in a pres conference after the meeting between the President of the Saharawi President, Mohamed Abdelaziz, and Mr. José Maria Aznar, Monday in Madrid.

Referring to the five consecutive expulsions of Spanish political delegations from El Aaiun, Mr. Moragas described this acts as unbearable that a country such as Spain can not allow.

He put forward the presence in Spain, within the framework of the colonies of vacation, of ten thousand children Spanish families receive. He invited the Government of Zapatero "to have the courage of looking to these Saharawi children in the eyes and tell them that it betrayed them. And this is our point of view", he said. (SPS)

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SPS
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/INTIFADA
A Saharawi human right activist holding a sit-in in an old Spanish centre in El Aaiun was moved by the police

<>El Aaiun (occupied territories) 11/07/2005 (SPS) Former Saharawi political detainee and human rights activists, Hmad Hamad, was moved by force from the old Spanish cultural centre, "Casa Espana", in El Aaiun, where he held a sit-in in this morning to protest against human rights violations in Western Sahara and claim for the release of Saharawi political prisoners in Morocco, indicated concordant sources.

The forces of intervention took the victim to the central police station in El Aaiun, according to eye witnesses.

The man, who has just recovered from serious injuries he had during the violent confrontations with Moroccan forces of occupation during the demonstrations of last June, put a big placard on the wall of the centre calling for the release of his compatriots who are still held in the Moroccan cells and asking the international for the implication of the international community in the organisation of a referendum on self-determination for the Saharawi people, it was indicated.

Mr. Hamad also demanded that the torturers who tortured him during his detention last June the 17 be presented before court. He further demanded for the opening of the territory to international observers and Medias asking for the organisation of an international investigation to draw light on the brutal repression that is striking the Saharawi civilians in the occupied territories, it was said.

45 years old, married, Mr. Hamad was arrested in 1997, submitted to all sort of physical and moral torture for 12 days in the Moroccan colonial police’s centres in El Aaiun. He was then fired from his work and hid properties confiscated as an act of intimidation because of his activism in the defence of human rights, it should be recalled. (SPS)

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