SAHARA PRESS SERVICE

Chahid El Hafed, 23/05/2004 (SPS) - The President of the Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, asserted that his country is disposed to discuss security, economic and geo-strategic occupation of Morocco if the latter give up its projects of annexation of Western Sahara by force.

"We call Morocco to put an end to its expansionist policy and to recognise the SADR, it is only then that we will be ready to sick for agreement on its security, economic and geo-strategic preoccupations, explaining to it that if it is preoccupied about its security we are disposed to discuss this matter, and also to discuss over our country's resources and strategic position", stressed Mr. Abdelaziz during a luncheon offered on the honour of the President of the MSP (the Algerian Movement of Society for Peace), Abu Jara Soultani, who is in an official visit to Saharawis.

"However, if Morocco continue denying our existence by annexing our country against our will (...) this is unacceptable and we will remain attached to our legitimate rights for which we are ready to give all sacrifices", he said.

Addressing Mr. Soultani, the Head of the State thanked him for this visit of "solidarity with the Saharawi people's struggle", that can only be considered within the framework of "the permanency of Algerian support to the right to decolonisation of the peoples and countries ".

Moreover, he noted "the victory of democracy, transparency and freedom", which prevailed in Algeria through last April's presidential elections which led Mr. Bouteflika to the highest office of the Algerian State.

To Mr. abdelaziz, this Algerian victory, to which the MSP actively participated, is "a victory to all the countries of the Maghreb, Africa and the Arab world".

Further, he considered that President Bouteflika, "that man of unlimited political and intellectual abilities, having a reach experience, wisdom and courage, is the man we all needed". (SPS)

010/090/100/TRD 231120 May 04 SPS