SAHARA PRESS SERVICE

New York (United Nations), 28/04/2004 (SPS) Algerian Permanent Representative to UN, Abdallah Baali, considered on Tuesday that «Baker's Plan» is the «best political solution to the conflict in Western Sahara», deploring «the absence of progress» in this issue since last July.

Intervening during a meeting of the Security Council devoted to the question of Western Sahara, Mr. Baali declared that Algeria «is deceived by the recorded absence of progress since the unanimous adoption of the resolution 1495, by Security Council, nine months ago».

The resolution 1495, adopted in July 2003, approved and supported the Plan elaborated by James Baker, Un Secretary General's Personal Envoy to Western Sahara.

Algeria «is more deceived, having hoped that the successive delays granted by the Security Council to Morocco would be used advisedly and that the enforcement of the Plan, so wished for by Security Council and awaited for by the whole international community, would at last compensate years of Secretary General and his Personal Envoy's patience», added the Algerian diplomat.

Mr. Annan, noted Mr. Baali, «had clearly identified the party which is causing the current deadlock since it is the same party that rejected, different solutions one after the other, from the settlement plan agreed upon by the Security Council in 1991 to the peace plan confirmed by the same council in 2003, and continues to advance and claim for a solution based on an autonomy within Moroccan sovereignty».

Algeria «also adopts completely» Baker's approach and judgement according to which the plan is «the best political solution to the conflict in Western Sahara», he maintained.

Further, Mr. Baali considered that Algeria «can but be satisfied that Baker had recommended to the Security Council to reassert its support to the mentioned plan and that he asked the two parties to work to accepting and enforcing it».

The prorogation of the Minurso's mandate for a period that should be used by the Moroccan Kingdom and Polisario Front to accept and enforce the Plan, is completely acceptable to us and deserves, as a consequence, the support of the Security Council», he added. (SPS)

020/090/700/TRD 281025 Apr 04 SPS

SPS
SADR/MOROCCO/SECURITY COUNCIL
Security Council reasserts Saharawi people's right to self-determination

New York (United Nations), 28/04/2004 (SPS) The Security Council reasserted the right of Saharawi people to self-determination through a democratic referendum under the auspices of the UN, conforming to the «Plan for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara», presented to the parties by the UN Secretary General Personal Envoy, James Baker in February 2003.

In a closed meeting, the 15 members of the Security Council discussed a draft resolution presented by the USA which supported the efforts of Mr.Annan and his personal envoy, Baker, and their «Plan for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara», maintained as the «optimal political solution based on the agreement of the two parties».

The draft resolution which will be submitted to vote on Thursday, recommends six months prorogation of the Minurso's mandate instead of ten as Annan's report proposes, and considers «a possible reduction» of the members of the Minurso.

It calls «all parties and the States of the region to fully cooperate with the efforts of the Secretary General and his Personal Envoy» for the enforcement of the last Baker's plan.
 
It should be recalled that Mr. Annan has mentioned in the conclusions of his last report that autonomy as recommended by Morocco has implications which are completely opposite to the self-determination as a right recognised by the United Nations. (SPS)

010/090/100/TRD 280945 Apr 04 SPS