"We urge your Excellency to encourage Ambassador Chris Ross to support the ongoing political process by considering the Moroccan initiative as the foundation for any solution," the congressmen said in a letter to Ban Ki-moon.

    Through this proposal, the letter went on, "Morocco has shown the world its commitment to resolving this issue by providing the population the mechanisms to govern itself under Moroccan sovereignty and help prevent Al Qaida from gaining a presence by bringing stability to the region."

    The letter, which comes few weeks ahead of consultations of the UN Security Council to renew the manadate of the UN mission in the Sahara (MINURSO), urges "against endorsing any attempt aimed at deviating from the current political process and to encourage all parties to restart negotiations in good faith with the aim of finding a lasting and mutually acceptable solution within the framework of the Moroccan Autonomy proposal.”

     The congressmen deplored “the suffering of thousands of people in the Tindouf camps in Algeria, whose rights to dignity, free movement, work, and free speech are violated daily.”

     They stressed that “in an effort to end the suffering of this population and resolve the Sahara issue, Morocco submitted an autonomy proposal to the UN in April 2007 to restart the negotiation process,” recalling that “this proposal was recently praised by Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the Chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. Congress.” 

    They further recalled that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reaffirmed that this proposal is "serious, realistic” and responds to the aspirations of the Sahara population.

    The congressmen’s support for the Moroccan plan stems from their conviction that “this initiative will guarantee the residents of the Sahara the right to self-rule, preserve the dignity of all parties involved, reunite separated families, and spare neighboring countries from the growing threat of Al-Qaida cells in the region.”

    “This proposal, in full compliance with international law, and the principle of self-determination in particular, has launched a promising negotiations process which can fulfill the UN Security Council's goal to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution."

    Noting that the autonomy plan emanates from the democratic momentum in Morocco, the letter recalled that “His Majesty King Mohammad VI gave a speech on March 9, 2011 in which he promised comprehensive reforms that would guarantee free parliamentary elections, including the election of a prime minister, create an independent judiciary, and assure human rights for all of Morocco's stakeholders."

Source: MAP
News and events concerning Western Sahara issue/ Corcas