19.12.95
Security Council Resolution S/1033/1995
After many weeks of discussions about the proposals of Mr. Boutros-Ghali
to accelerate the identification process, the Security Council adopted
unanimously a new resolution (S/1033/1995).
It differs from the draft resolution presented in November, which was
contested by the Polisario Front as party to the conflict, by the
Organisation of African Unity as settlement plan co-author, and also by
the neighbourstate Algeria as official settlement plan observer.
In its resolution the Security Council considers the last report of the
Secretary-General as "a useful framework", but does not approach the
problems of the contested voter identification procedures. It wellcomes
his decision to intensify his consultations with the two parties and
requests to report to the Council on the results of those consultations
on an urgent basis. In the event those consultations fail to reach
agreement it requests to provide the Council with options for its
considerations, including a programme for the orderly withdrawal of the
MINURSO.
20.12.95
The ICRC, The International Committee of Red Cross, visited 720 of the 1900 prisoners of war detained by the Polisario Front.
21.12.95
The Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs A. Filali reveals the content
of a letter he sent to the Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs. He
qualified the Algerian intervention to the Security Council (letter of Minister Dembri of 6.12.95)
as a "new revearsal". For the Moroccan government Algeria changed
fundamentally its further position: from its part as observer it passed
to a party to the conflict. Consequently Morocco requests Algeria, as
president of the Arab Maghreb Union, to freeze the activities of this
organization.
23.12.95
The Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, M. S. Dembri, answers Minister
Filali. In his letter he reiterates the Algerian position about the
Western Sahara conflict, which never changed and is ethically founded on
the internationally recognized right of self determination of the
Sahrawi people. He also explains that he transmitted, according to the
AMU Treaty, the Moroccan request of freezing the activities of this
organization to the other three partners of the AMU.
24.12.95
Statement of the African National Congress
The ANC National Executive Committee met in Johannesburg from 8-9
December 1995. The NEC expressed its solidarity with the people of the
Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). The NEC also expressed full
support
for President Nelson Mandela letter to SADR President Abdelaziz on
the decision of South Africa to establish diplomatic relations
between our two countries. The timing of the implementation of this
decision was delayed at the request of UN Secretary-General Boutros
Boutros Ghali, in the light of an impending referendum in that
territory, due in January next year.
The NEC is deeply concerned at the lack of progress in the
process leading to this referendum. The ANC will closely and
continuously monitor the situation with the view to contributing to
a lasting solution within the framework of the principle of the
right to self-determination. The NEC calls for every effort to be
made for free and fair conditions for the holding of a referendum.