original french

17.07.01
France
In a letter sent to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hubert  Védrine,  the chair of the French National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee,  François Loncle,  asks for information on the "latest developments in the situation [in Western Sahara] and the efforts undertaken by France to facilitate a solution to this problem."

21.07.01
USA
The US senate has confirmed Ms Margaret Tutwiler as the new ambassador of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Morocco, a statement of the US embassy in Rabat announced. Ms. Tutwiler has served in the administrations of three U.S. presidents. During the Reagan Administration Ms. Tutwiler served in the White House from 1981 until 1985 as a key assistant to the Chief of Staff James A. Baker III.

24.07.01
United Kingdom
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to support the framework agreement for the solution of the Western Sahara problem, granting autonomy of the territory and providing for a referendum in which Moroccan residents would be entitled to vote, irrespective of whether or not the agreement of the Frente Polisario can be obtained. [HL532]
Written response from Baroness Amos, the government minister responsible in the Lords: Her Majesty's Government supported UN Security Council Resolution 1359. (...) Her Majesty's Government's objective is to assist the parties to achieve a just and lasting solution to the question of Western Sahara.

24-25.07.01
In the context of the second world festival of youth celebrated in Panama from 21-28 July, the fifth conference of solidarity with the youth of Western Sahara was held, in the presence of over 300 people, with the participation of Saharawi ministers of Cooperation, Salek Baba and Education, Salek Bobih, the Saharawi Ambassador in Panama, Souleyman Tayeb,  as well as a delegation from the Union of Saharawi Youth. The festival adopted a declaration of solidarity with Saharawi youth and of support for the referendum of self-determination. While refusing the "third way", it asks the  United Nations to take up again their peace plan and  condemns the delaying manoeuvres of Morocco.

24.07.01
Mohammed VI,  in an interview with the Arab language paper published in London "Asharq Al-Awsat",  declared on the subject of relations with Algeria:
«The fact of the matter is that there would not have been a problem between Algeria and us today had it not been for the Sahara issue. It has polluted the atmosphere between the two countries for more than 25 years. (...) The relationship with Algeria is not bad but could be better. It will be better, God willing. The Sahara problem is definitely poisoning the two countries' relations.»
About Western Sahara: «I have lived with the Sahara problem and was lucky to witness a new era in Morocco's history being written when we retrieved the Sahara. I come from a generation that lived with the Sahara problem and we cannot abandon this issue that is very important for us. It has the unanimous support of all the Moroccans and all the political parties, both those in the government and in the opposition. The Sahara issue is one of destiny for Morocco and for the entire region. There will not be stability in the entire Arab Maghreb region if there is not stability in the Sahara. I consider the UN resolution a victory for my father, a victory for all Moroccans, and a victory for the generation that has lived with this problem.
To the question: Are there not new proposals for solving this problem that has gone on for too long?, Mohammed VI answers: «We are honouring the UN resolution, under Moroccan sovereignty of course. This is the recent Security Council resolution. We have given much on our part.» (transl. agencies)

25.07.01
Polisario Front
Meeting in an extraordinary session under the presidency of Mohamed Abdelaziz, president of the Republic, the National Secretariat (SN) of the Polisario Front renewed its "categorical refusal" of the proposed Framework- Agreement considered as "a Moroccan plan", as well as its "refusal to adhere to any other alternative which could alter the inalienable right of the Saharawi people to self-determination and independence",  renewing on the contrary, "its attachment to the UN-OAU settlement plan". The SN expressed its "satisfaction" with the latest resolution of the Security Council and the "failure" of Moroccan attempts to challenge the privileged position of SADR within the Organisation of African Unity during the recent summit. (SPS)

25.07.01
Morocco
Mohamed VI appointed the Army corps General  Abdelhaq El Kadiri (former director general of the General Executive of studies and documentation - DGED - and military secret services), inspector general of the Royal Armed Forces. His deputy, Brigadier Ahmed El Harchi, replaces him in the post of director of the DGED.  Abdellatif El Guerraoui, former Minister of Energy and Mines as well as of Social Affairs in the preceding governments, becomes the governor of the region of Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia Al Hamra (Western Sahara), replacing Allal Saadaoui.

SOLIDARITY

Segorbe (community of Valencia) has twinned with Daora, a locality in the Saharawi refugee camps, and is willing to send agricultural supplies.

COMING UP...

04.08.01 Algeciras, Andalucia: La AAPS. del Campo de Gibaltar en coordinación con la Federación Andaluza de Asociaciones de Amistad con el popolo saharaui convoca para el 4 de Agosto su manifestación anual frente al Consulado de Marrucos en Algeciras (único en Andalucia). Acto que se viene celebrando desde hace 8 años y que congrega a mas de 2000 simpatizantes de la causa. Informacion:<mailto:jer_bo@eresmas.com>

04.08.01, Lastra a Signa (Italia): 4 Agosto 1944 - 2001, 57o Anniversario Liberazione di Lastra a Signa. Programma - Interventi Ufficiali. - Consegna titoli onorifici della Presidenza della Repubblica a Bruno Terzani. - Riconoscimento Ufficiale a Camilido Lelli. - Riconoscimento ai Popoli Saharawi e Chiapas, in lotta per l'indipendenza. Ore 10,00, Sala del Consiglio Comunale, Piazza del Comune, 17. Infos: saharawi@libero.it

INTERNET

New website

• The website of all former and active Peacekeepers of MINURSO: http://www.minurso.ch/

Documents

• A proposito del Sahara Occidentale: testimonianze dei Canari residenti durante il periodo coloniale, Nicoletta Gandolfi, Oriente moderno, VIII (LXIX), N°7-12 (luglio-dic.1989), pp. 161-186.

NEW PUBLICATIONS
[External links to newspapers may not be valid after some days because the servers are restarted]

français

• Rapport d'information fait au nom de la commission des Finances, du contrôle budgétaire et des comptes économiques de la Nation sur les crédits d'aide publique au développement affectés aux pays du Maghreb, par M. Michel Charasse, Sénateur, Sénat, Annexe au procès-verbal de la séance du 16 novembre 2000, session ordinaire de 2000-2001 (Maroc, pp. 87-122).
• Deux ans après la mort de Hassan II, le Maroc au milieu du gué / Après le rêve, le désenchantement, Nadjia Bouzeghrane, El Watan, Alger, 23.07.01.

english

• Breica Lehbib, Deputy Representative Polisario UK : «Comments on the article by David Bamford (Analysis: New Phase in Sahara conflict, BBC News Online 2 July 2001)», 25.07.01.
• Pistols and Pokemon: Comedian and broadcaster Mark Thomas reports from 25-year-old refugee camps in Algeria that both Western inaction and the UK arms exports have badly affected the Saharawi people stranded there, Mark Thomas, Upfront Magazine, (War on Want), London, May 2001, pages 6-7.
• Up in arms (letter from the Director), Catherine Matheson, Upfront Magazine (War on Want), London, Summer 2001, page 2.
• Betrayal, UN capitulates to Morocco,Chris Brazier, New Internationalist Magazine, No 337, August 2001, page 8.

castellano

• Revista de la prensa española de la semana: http://www.nodo50.org/fpolisario/Prensa.htm
• Noticias de prensa, Recopilación semanal de todos los articulos de la prensa de España: http://www.nodo50.org/labarored/interpueblos/actividad/sahara_occidental/noticias/
• Mohamed VI, un rey sin aliento, Ignacio Cembrero, El Pais, Madrid, 22.07.01.
• Cien mil hect·reas de hachís en la 'pequeña Colombia' marroquí, ibid.
• El imparable ascenso islamista, ibid.

Italiano

• Sahara Occidentale. L'ultima colonia venticinque anni dopo, L. Ardesi, Centofiori (revue de la branche italienne du Service civil international), n. 41, juin 2001.

[Summary Weekly News,] [Western Sahara Homepage]