SAHARA PRESS SERVICE

SPS
SADR/SPAIN
Spain has to "save peace", in Western Sahara, declares Mohamed Abdelaziz

28.11.04

Alicante, 28/11/2004 (SPS) The President of the Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, declared Saturday in Petrer (Alicante), that the Spanish Government has to take profit of its good relations with the Maghreb so as to avoid the failure of the dynamic of peace in Western Sahara.

During an audience that gathered some 300 personalities, mayors and representatives of the municipalities of the region of Alicante, the Head of the State reviewed the actual situation of the problem of Western Sahara. He asserted that Spain "which has a big historical and moral responsibility" in the question of Western Sahara, must "adopt a firmer and more efficient position so as to save peace", in the whole region of the Maghreb.

"By its unilateral rupture from the Baker Plan Morocco closed all the ways out to a peaceful solution to the conflict and generated a situation which is very dangerous to the stability and peace in the North West of Africa", deplored Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz,

Referring to the meeting he had last Friday with the President of the Spanish Government, José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the President of the Republic indicated that this encounter "was interesting because it upgraded the dialogue between the two parties to a higher level and allowed Saharawi authorities to directly express its points of view on the peace process in Western Sahara".

During the visit to Petrer, Mr. President had had a warm reception from the population and the authorities of the Council before being the guest of honour to a dinner offered by the Mayor of Alicante, Jose Antonio Hidalgo, with the presence of more than 30 political personalities, mainly Mr. Jose Valera, President of the Association of the Friends of the Saharawi People in Alicante.

The President of the Republic had attended before the opening session of the 30th European Conference of support to Saharawi People (EUCOCO), which opened Friday evening in the Palace of Congress of Saragossa, after his meeting with the President of the Spanish Government, José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, earlier in the morning of the same day.

In his speech, the President of the Republic underlined that it was time for the international community to clearly designate "the party that hinders the peaceful settlement" of the conflict in Western Sahara by implementing the Baker Plan which has an international consensus.

On his side, the President of the European Coordination of Solidarity with the Saharawi people (Task Force) and President of the Conference, Mr. Pierre Galand, affirmed in his intervention that the European associations and organisations of solidarity with the Saharawi people will pursue their action until the right to self-determination and to independence of this people be recognised and implemented. (SPS)

020/090/000/TRD 281348 NOV 04 SPS
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SPS
SADR/SPAIN/USA/CONFERENCE
Saharawi people are "a model of democracy and of non violent struggle", affirmed an American Senator



Madrid, 28/11/2004 (SPS) America Senator, Joseph Pitts, considered Sunday in Saragossa that the Saharawi people are "a model in the exercise of democracy and non violent struggle", calling the international community "to make sure that their rights be guaranteed and that the UN's decisions be implemented", in Western Sahara, reported Algerian Press Service, APS.

In a statement to the Media in margin of the works of 30th European Conference of support to Saharawi People (EUCOCO), which took place in Saragossa in November the 26, 27 and 28, the Republican Senator asserted that the Saharawi people, who are "a model and an example in the exercise of democracy and non violent struggle to get their rights", deserve that the international community make sure that "their rights be guaranteed and that the UN's decisions be implemented", so as to allow them decide over their future.
 
The Moroccan Government must "respect" its commitments and accords it signed with the Polisario Front under the UN supervision in order to organise a referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara, added the same source.

"We call the King of Morocco and the Moroccan Government to respect and implement the accords it signed on Western Sahara and allow the holding of a referendum on self-determination of the Saharawi people", declared Mr. Pitts.
 
On another hand, he said that he stressed in his intervention before of the plenary session of the Conference of the EUCOCO on the "illegal character of the exploitation of the natural resources of Western Sahara, which is an occupied territory", recalling that he had recently asked his administration to give explanations on this question after it signed the Free Trade Agreement with Morocco.

In this respect, Mr. Pitts affirmed that he received "written guarantees from the White House that Western Sahara is not concerned with this accord". He added that he expects from "the Administration (American) to issue an official statement on this accord as we were promised in the letter we received", in reference to the letter he received last July from the USA Trade Representative, Robert B. Zoellick.

"This accord is inapplicable on the territory of Western Sahara and we are against any investment that aims to exploit the natural resources of the Saharawi people without their consent", he said.

He said that he has launched an appeal to the King and Government of Morocco so as to do a similar initiative to that achieved by Polisario Front by releasing Saharawi prisoners of war and revealing the truth about the reported missing Saharawis.

Polisario Front has already released 2000 Moroccan POWs, he underlined, "such humanitarian gesture would favour a peaceful solution" to the conflict.

The Senator has also underlined that he "has personally" discussed the question of Western Sahara with the President George W. Bush during a meeting in which Mr. Bush would have expressed his "support to the Baker Plan".

"President Bush, he asserted, is fully informed on this question and I am planning to talk with him again about this subject", noting that "an increasing number of American Congressmen are more concerned with this question and are more active in this respect", referring to the recent visit to the camps by Senator James M. Inhofe, one of the most imminent republican figures, Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and member to the Senate Armed Services Committee and Indian Affairs Committee.

Member to the US Congress International Relations Subcommittee on International Terrorism and human rights, Mr. Pitts said he was "honoured to participate, side by side with delegates from the whole world, to this conference which objective is to support a fundamental right such as Saharawi people's right to self-determination". (SPS)

060/090/700 281651 NOV 04 SPS




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SPS
SADR/SPAIN/CONFERENCE/CLOSURE
EUCOCO calls for "a quick implementation of the UN's Peace Plan" for the self-determination of Saharawi people


Saragossa, 28/112004 (SPS) The 30th European Conference of support to Saharawi people (EUCOCO) called for "a quick implementation of the UN's peace plan as a whole bloc", for a definitive settlement to the conflict in Western Sahara, exhorting the international community to oeuvre for "the immediate exercise" by the Saharawi people of their right to self-determination.

In its final resolution, adopted on Sunday after the end of the end of its works held in November the 26, 27 and 28 in Saragossa, the Conference called the European Union (EU), African Union (AU) and the parliaments of all countries of the world to work for a quick implementation of the peace plan so as Saharawi people could "democratically and freely decide over their destiny".

The participants noted "the blockage by Morocco of the solution the international community recommended, to name the Peace Plan for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, which was ratified by Security Council's resolutions 1495 and 1570, and which was rejected by the Moroccan authorities who refuse with all kinds of delaying manoeuvre to implement it".

The Conference hailed the "sincere disposition of Polisario Front to respect the international legality unveiling, that way to the public opinion, the unwillingness of Morocco to conform to the UN's pertinent decisions".

Concerning the meeting the President of the Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz, had last Friday with the President of the Spanish Government in Madrid, the Conference wished this encounter "would augur of a positive development in the position of the Spanish State towards the Saharawi people and its right to self-determination".

Spain should "completely honour its historical, moral and political obligations towards the Saharawi people", underlined the resolution, asking the Spanish Socialist Government "not to facilitate, nor encourage any initiative, secret or public that could serve in legitimising the illegal occupation of the territory of Western Sahara or the exploitation of its wealth".

The participants had also denounced "the massive violations" of human rights in occupied territories, asking for "an urgent protection" of its people and for "a clear condemnation" of this situation.

On another hand, they noted "the deficiency" in the humanitarian and material aid to Saharawi refugees, reiterating their wiliness to work for the increase of this aid and launching an "urgent" appeal to the specialised agencies of the UN, EU and donating countries.

On a structural level, the conference indicated that it took note of a preposition of rescheduling of its activities and announced "seven urgent activities" to be organised in different countries in the programme of the year 2005, which would be culminates with an international conference.

It also recommended the adoption of "an efficient strategy" of communication on the Western Sahara question, hailing the position of principle of Algeria and felicitating South Africa for its recognition of SADR.

The works of the 30th edition of the EUCOCO, which was considered as the biggest ever organised, opened Friday evening in the Palace of Congress of Saragossa with the participation of some 600 European delegates as well as parliament members and personalities from the different regions of the world, it should be recalled

Under the theme: "Right to self-determination of the Saharawi people, for a more active European role within the framework of the United Nations", this conference, which was held during the 26, 27 and 28 November, was marked by the special presence of the President of the Republic, Mohamed Abdelaziz. (SPS)

060/090/700 282125 NOV 04 SPS

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