SAHARA PRESS SERVICE

Toledo, 30/05/2004 (SPS) The participants to the 2nd international conference on information in Western Sahara exhorted Zapatero's Government to assume its historical responsibilities in the decolonisation of Western Sahara, calling the UN to enforce its resolutions relative to the organisation of a referendum for the self-determination of Saharawi people.

''We ask the Head of the Government, José Luis Rodríguez, to adopt a policy that can be coherent to the common history shared by Spain and the Saharawi people'' (...) ''assume its responsibilities and defend Saharawis freedoms'', underlined "Toledo's declaration", adopted Sunday during the closing session of the 2nd edition of the before mentioned international conference, held from the 28 to the 30 May.

The declaration called the UN to adopt a "firmer" attitude to push Morocco to "respect the international legality, human rights and to co-operate with the international community towards the implementation of the Peace Plan for the self-determination of the Saharawi people".

It also asked for "the opening of the occupied territory to the free access of international jurists (...) media, international organisations and NGOs" (...) "stop the pillage of the Saharawi resources, release the political prisoners, stop iniquitous trials, arbitrary detentions, torture, the systematic segregation exercised against Saharawi citizens and to give information about the fate of Saharawi disappeareds''.

Toledo's declaration called France to "stop its interference" in Western Sahara's conflict and to adopt "the same doctrine" it adopted regarding the occupation of Iraq.

''France, cradle of revolutions and principles of freedom, legality and fraternity, cannot continue denying Saharawi people's right to self-determination and independence", stressed the declaration.

Toledo's second international conference on information estimated to have reach its objectives through the enforcement of its propositions jointly elaborated with the participation of professionals of the field, and decided to create a press cabinet in Spain to co-ordinate the flow of news in co-operation with other regional and Communities' cabinets and the refugees' camps.

It also decided to constitute a "journalists, writers and artists' tribune for an independent Sahara" and to ask EUCOCO's organisers to create a workshop of information in which the organisation of the 3rd edition of the conference on the information in Western Sahara, planed for 2005 in Algeria, will be discussed.

Organised from the 28 to the 30 of May under the chairmanship of José Taboada Valdes, President of the co-ordination of supporting institutions and associations to Saharawi people with the participation of three Saharawi ministers, under the theme ''Let's break the information embargo", Toledo's conference adopted the works of its four commissions, consecrated to the evaluation of 30 years of struggle via the media, occupied territories, the means and sources of information. (SPS)

010/TOL/000/TRD 301315 May 04 SPS