SAHARA PRESSE SERVICE

Saint-Jacques-de-Compostella, 20/09/2005 (SPS) An important delegation, composed of representatives of political parties, Parliamentarians, trade unionists and representatives of the civil society of the Spanish autonomous region of Galicia, will attempt to get to El Aaiun, the occupied capital of Western Sahara, to investigate on the situation of the Saharawi population, who is under permanent siege suffering from human rights violations, reported Spanish press agencies.

"If the Moroccan authorities deny entry to El Aaiun to the delegation that would be another proof that they have something to hide", declared Polisario Front’s Representative in Galicia, Mrs. Fatma Mohamed Salem, in a press conference organised Monday by the members of the delegation.

On her part, the Director of the department of Development and Quality of Residence in Galicia, Mrs. Encarna Otero, renewed the engagement of hr party (BNG) in favour of Saharawi people’s rights, estimating that the Saharawi question is "a universal case of justice".

A delegation composed of 3 Parliamentarian from the Canary Islands, who were planning to investigate on the situation of human rights and meet Saharawi human rights activists on the ground, were expulsed, last Wednesday, from the airport of El Aaiun like many other foreign delegations from the different Spanish autonomous regions and from Norway, it should be recalled. (SPS)

010/090/666/ALG/TRD 201136 sept 05 SPS

SPS
SADR/SPAIN
Moratinos: Madrid wants a peaceful settlement between two peoples who are friends to Spain

New York, 20/09/2005 (SPS) The Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Miguel Angel Moratinos, declared that his country wishes "a peaceful settlement between two peoples who are friends to Spain", referring to the Saharawi and Moroccan peoples, who are parted because of a destructive conflict caused by the Moroccan colonial occupation of Western Sahara since 1975.

Having just met with Saharawi Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Salem Ould Salek, on the margin of the UN General Assembly’s works in New York, Mr. Moratinos emphasised, Tuesday in a press conference, that Madrid is only searching a solution within the framework of the UN and does not have "a secret agenda", reported Spanish press agency, EFE.

The Head of the Spanish diplomacy considered that there is now a "better atmosphere" for the UN to make progress in the resolution of the Western Sahara conflict.

"It is urgent and there is a need to impulse a new dynamism to the problem", he said, adding that the UN must "lead the efforts aimed at the resolution of the conflict in Western Sahara".

Mr. Moratinos expressed his understanding to the "concern" of the Saharawi authorities regarding the "serious" states of health of the 37 Saharawi political prisoners in hunger strike in Moroccan prisons, promising to "transmit this preoccupation to the Government of Rabat", the same source underlined. (SPS)

010/090/720 201825 sept 05 SPS