In this regard, Mr. Jensen, whose testimony was highly anticipated, said he wrote a book in which he explained the failure of the identification process under the settlement plan and called for a negotiated political solution.

"After five years in the Sahara (from 1993 to 1998) I delegated my responsibility to my successor and I wrote a book in which I explained why the identification process could not succeed," he said.

Mr Peter Van Walsum, who succeeded me, took the same guidelines as mine stressing that independence was not a realistic option, "said Jensen, noting that the Sahara populations deserve "a decent and safer future in a strategically important region. "

"Members of the Fourth Committee know very well that the principle of self-determination can be applied in different ways: there are options other than independence," he insisted.

Mr. Jensen finally noted that "the settlement of the Sahara issue depends to a large extent to other concerned and influential countries."

In this regard, he felt that "Algeria has a key role to achieve reconciliation and development of the Maghreb region", warning against threats, including resumption of hostilities, destabilization and of terrorism that threaten the region. 

Source: MAP
- News on Western Sahara / Corcas -