SAHARA PRESS SERVICE

Washington, 27/03/2004 (SPS) The President of the Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, was received, on Friday in Washington, by many members of the American Congress, after having met with UN's Secretary General, Kofi Annan, on Wednesday in New York.

During his stay in Washington, Mohamed Abdelaziz, was also invited by the American Foundation «Defense Forum Fondation », the later had organised a lunch on his honour -in which the last development of Western Sahara's question were debated.

Western Sahara' question, he stressed, has similarities with Kuwait's when the latter was invaded by Iraq in 1990.

The President of the Republic noted, however, that «in the Kuwait's affair, international community assumed its responsibilities in the liberation of Kuwait. While it, unfortunately, did not do the same for Western Sahara».

UN, he recalled, had committed itself and promised, in 1991, to organise a referendum in a delay of eight months. Now, and after thirteen years, this question knows delay after delay to the point of pushing Saharawi people begin to doubt about the seriousness of the UN, which lack of severity in front of Moroccan attitudes», he deplored.

«Saharawi people's right to self-determination and the implementation of the Baker's plan are the solution to put an end to the colonisation of Western Sahara by Morocco», he underlined.

Linking Western Sahara's question to the Maghreb, the Head of State underlined that this region undergoes substantial developments. He cited as example the institution of the process of democracy in Algeria and the presidential election expected for next April the 8th, as well as the Libyan decision of abandoning its programs of weapons of mass destruction «saving the Maghreb from the existence of this kind of weapons »

He also underlined that Saharawi affair and the UN's plan for the organisation of a referendum benefit of a clear support from José Maria Aznar's Spanish government, hoping that the coming government of Zapatero will keep within the same position.

The President of the Republic will visit Houston (Texas) this Tuesday to held a meeting with Mr. James Baker, UN Secretary General's Personal Envoy to Western Sahara, « in order to discuss the perspectives of the Baker's Plan presented in 2003 to the parties to the conflict», he indicated to APS in margin of his encounter with the Congressmen.

It should be recalled that UN prolonged, last January, the mandate of MINURSO for three more months, until the 30th April 2004, in order to allow Mr. Baker to re-consult Morocco, the latter being asked by UN to present its response to the peace plan proposed in January 2003 and adopted by the Security Council.

This plan submitted to the parties by James Baker expects the organisation of a referendum to determine the final status of Western Sahara, preceded by a period of autonomy, which will be presented as another choice for the voters as an option added to the two already considered, Status quo or independence.

While Polisario Front had accepted the peace plan of the 6th July 2003, Morocco still is rejecting it. (SPS)

020/090/700/TRD 271844 Mar 04 SPS d. (SPS)

SPS
SADR/ALGERIA/CONDOLENCES
The President of the Republic sends a message of condolence to his Algerian counterpart after the death of Boukhroufa

Bir Lehou, 27/03/2004 (SPS) The President of the Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, presented, on Wednesday, condolences to his Algerian counterpart, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, after the death of Mr. Abdelkader Boukhroufa, President of the Algerian Red Crescent (CRA) last Tuesday due to a long sickness.

«On behalf of my people and on my personal name, I address my sincere condolences to you and to the family of the late, praying God the Almighty to receive him in His paradise».

«Abdelkader Boukhroufa was a sincere patriot and a devoted activist within the CRA and in the service of humanitarian cause», he indicated.

«The late was a symbol of national solidarity and a figure, who devoted himself to the noble humanitarian causes», concluded the message, of which SPS received a copy. (SPS)

020/090/100/TRD 271510 Mar 04 SPS