Coordination européenne du soutien au peuple sahraoui, EUCOCO
His Excellency Ban Ki-Moon
United Nations Secretary General
The United Nations
S-3800, United Nations,
New York, N.Y. 10017, USA
Brussels, 8 March 2007.
Mister Secretary General,
In the course of April, you will report to the Security Council on the progress made in the Western Sahara dossier.
It is regarding the respect for the fundamental rights to
self-determination of the Saharawi people that we address this appeal
to you.
Mister Secretary General,
The question of Western Sahara is one of decolonization, in terms of
the UN Charter and of Resolution 1514(XV) and 1541(XV) of the General
Assembly of the United Nations of 20 December 1960. It is therefore the
direct responsibility of the UN. This organisation, through Resolutions
of the General Assembly and the Security Council, has repeatedly
reaffirmed the right to self-determination of the Saharawi people and
has developed various plans in settlement of the conflict, namely:
• The UN’s Settlement Plan approved by the Security
Council through Resolution 658 of 27 June 1990 and 690 of 29 April 1991.
• The Houston Agreements signed in September 1997 by both conflict parties.
• The Peace Plan for Self-Determination of the People
of Western Sahara elaborated by Mister James Baker III, on demand of
the Security Council and approved by the Council through Resolution
1495 of 31 July 2003.
These documents clearly explain that the settlement of the Western
Sahara question cannot be achieved but through a fair and just
referendum on self-determination, in which the Saharawi people can
express, without any restraint, their choice on their future.
Whatever the international situation may be, and however strong the
pressure exercised by Morocco and its allies, the right of the Saharawi
people to be consulted on their future remains the only fundamental
rule which cannot be infringed nor by the occupying force, nor by the
international community.
Morocco’s attempt to present a project of a “plan for autonomy” is a
manoeuvre, as it is nothing more and nothing less than an illegal,
unacceptable diplomatic step, which torpedoes the Saharawi’s right of
choice, in addition to being incompatible with international law. Once
more, it is an illegal act of Morocco with a view to evade the
inalienable right of the Saharawi people to exercise its right to
self-determination.
Mister Secretary General,
We ask the UN, and in particular the Security Council, to urgently put everything into effect for:
• The completion of the process of decolonization of
Western Sahara within the shortest possible timeframe, through the
organisation of a referendum on self-determination
• The protection of the Saharawi population in the territories occupied by Morocco.
These steps would greatly contribute to the peace process, and could
hopefully lead to a just and lasting solution that the Saharawi have
been awaiting for more than three decades.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
With my highest consideration,
Pierre GALAND,
President of EUCOCO.
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