| Subject: UN: Petitioners on W Sahara talk
Timor
excerpts from
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/gaspd372.doc.htm
General Assembly9 October 2007 GA/SPD/372 Department of Public Information ? News and Media Division ? New York
He said that Morocco did not have any sovereignty over Western Sahara, as its future could not be decided by the occupying Power, but only by the people in accordance with United Nations policy. On that basis, Polisario had submitted its proposal in April for the future of Western Sahara. It included the options of independence, integration and self-governance. The case of Timor-Leste and Tokelau was proof that such options were viable. ?Why does Morocco feel that it is allergic to this democratic exercise?? he asked. Resolution 1754 (2007) had called on the two parties to ?enter into negotiations without preconditions in good faith?. The Council had taken note of the two proposals, which had the same value and importance. There was no second-class proposal. After two rounds of negotiations in Manhasset, a third round was scheduled, and Polisario had responded to the Personal Envoy as to the date and location for the upcoming round. There was a decolonization conflict on the agenda of this Committee, he said. Morocco took the decision to undermine, at all levels, the plans of the United Nations, including the peace plans. It sought to weaken the role of the General Assembly towards decolonization, and it did not have any intention to enact any resolution of the Assembly or this Committee. Negotiations should be carried out in good faith, but the biases of the Moroccan delegation had been seen in Manhasset. He underlined that it would be the Sahawari people who would freely decide their future. Hopefully, the third round of negotiations would be fruitful, and Morocco would come in good faith.
Noting that comparisons between East Timor and Western Sahara had been made often, he said they were like ?two drops of water?. When Indonesian President B.J. Habibie had proposed autonomy within Indonesia as the only way to solve the conflict in East Timor, the Timorese, Portugal and the United Nations had insisted on the application of the principle of self-determination. The question had been put to the voters, and it had included the proposal of autonomy, in addition to the prospect of independence. By contrast, in the Moroccan solution, autonomy was not a question, but was imposed on the Saharawi people before they had the chance to freely choose their status. International law was clear. He noted that a conference last year on the question of Western Sahara in The Hague had unanimously concluded that the occupation was illegal and that a referendum was the only legal option by which to determine Western Sahara?s status. He was not proud of Portugal?s policy towards Western Sahara; yet, it was not too late to change course. Other countries had more interest in the future of Western Sahara. He repeated his appeal to the Government of Portugal, which currently held the Presidency of the European Union, to follow the principled position of Sweden, the only country that voted in the European Council against the European Union-Morocco Fisheries Agreement, and support the inalienable right of Western Sahara to self-determination.
10 October 2007
General AssemblyGA/SPD/373 Department of Public Information ? News and Media Division ? New York
GILONNE D'ORIGNEY, a student, said the Government of Spain, which she
called the administering Power of Western Sahara, should reassert its
authority and put an end to Morocco?s occupation of Western Sahara, ?one of
the vilest and grossest violations of human rights and humanitarian law
today?. Nothing short of a vote for self-determination by Saharawi would
satisfy the process of self-determination. The Saharawi should be allowed
to choose between several options of statehood, including independence.
Morocco was ?not the legitimate business partner? for transactions in the
Territory; Spain was. Despite claims that an independent Western Sahara
would become a breeding ground for terrorists, the Saharawi and POLISARIO
had never engaged in terrorist acts against its people. However, the same
could not be said of Morocco.
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