WEEKLY NEWS |
WEEK 45
04.-10.11.1996
Headlines
|
Secretary-General report on W. S.
07.11.96
Secretary-General report on W. S.
The Secretary-General submitted his latest report to the Security
Council. In his report the Secretary-General said the Government of
Morocco and the F. POLISARIO have reiterated their commitment to the
settlement plan and would continue to respect the ceasefire. He said
the two parties were hopeful that ways may be found to resume
identification and implementation of the settlement plan, but the
positions of the Government of Morocco and the POLISARIO regarding
further identification of individuals remained irreconcilable. Dr.
Boutros-Ghali stated that the release of 66 POLISARIO prisoners of
war by the Government of Morocco on 31 October was particularly
welcomed and should help promote confidence. "In view of the recent
indications that the parties are moving forward, and in order to
allow time for further progress, the Secretary-General recommends
that the Security Council extend MINURSO's mandate for a further
period of six months, till 31 May 1997, while making it clear that
the international community cannot be expected to support the
extension of the mandate indefinitely unless there was tangible
progress towards the settlement of the question of Western Sahara".
( full text )
06.11.96
Speach of King Hassan II in occasion of the 21th anniversary of the
"Green March"
In a TV-speach to his people, the King said talks had been held
recently in Morocco with the Polisario but had collapsed. "We agreed
to meet them but on condition that the question of independence was
not on the table. Our son (Crown Prince Sidi Mohammed) and the
Interior Minister (Driss Basri) held talks with them during two
days," the king said.
He added it was expected that he would meet Polisario representatives
personally if the initial talks brought results. "But they still
don't understand that the (Western) Sahara became Moroccan and even
if we want to give the territory another aspect or legal definition,
we cannot ". He underlined that the talks di not end with a
breakdown. "These discussions will continue, always in the frame of
the UN Peace plan."
The Sahrawi Government on its side, in a press release notes the
reaffirmation of Morocco of the beginning of a dialogue between the
two parties. The Sahrawi part is ready to start negociations and to
explore with Morocco the political ways leading to a quick and entire
implementation of the Peace Plan in order to allow the Sahrawi people
te exercise its right of self-determination and independance.
08.11.96
US diplomacy
Mr M. Gainsburg, questionned at the Moroccan Press club, revealed
that the USA work since about 8 month in order to install trust
between Morocco and the Polisario. The USA are pleased with the
recent release of POWs by Morocco and the bilateral contacts. He
added no definitive solution can rise without direct talks.
09.11.96
Draft Resolution of the Security Council
The S.C., reaffirming its committment to the settlement plan and
to the maintance of the cease-fire, supports the activities of the
Acting Special Representative in continuing the dialogue with the
parties and the two neighbouring countries and in facilitating other
efforts to set the parties on a course towards an agreed formula for
the resolution of their differencies and requests that those
activities be accelerated. It welcomes the steps taken as the release
of 66 Sahrawi POWs by Morocco and the recent indications that the
parties are moving forward together. Encouraging all efforts in this
sense, it decides to expend the mandate of MINURSO untill 31.05.97
and asks the S.G. to submit a report for February 28th.
NEW PUBLICATIONS
- Rapport du Secrétaire général sur la situation concernant le Sahara Occidental, S/1996/913, 5 novembre 1996, 8 p.
- Parti pris, Belgiche Tayeb, El Watan, Alger, 9.11.96.
