New York, Oct 14, 2014 (SPS) - The Republic of Botswana on Friday reaffirmed its position of support to the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination through an open referendum, adding it is saddened by that fact that a solution to Western Sahara question “has still not been found.”
Speaking during the discussion of Agenda Item 59 on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples of the UN Fourth Committee, the Representative of Botswana said that his country reaffirms support to the right of the Saharawi people to “freely decide their future,” adding this “can only come about as a result of an open referendum.”
“It is deeply regrettable that, today, in the century, the issue of decolonization is still on the agenda of the UN,” said Mr. Charles Thembani Ntwaagae, permanent ambassador of Botswana to the UN.
Recalling that the Saharawi people have the right and ability to choose between independence and integration with Morocco, Mr. Ntwaagae stressed the need to give them an opportunity to freely do that through an open referendum.
Welcoming the commendable efforts of the Secretary General and his Personal Envoy, Ambassador Christopher Ross, to keep the concerned parties, the Kingdom of Morocco and Frente Polisario, engaged in dialogue, the Botswana diplomat said that his country remain hopeful that these efforts will produce tangible results.
“We wish to strongly urge the concerned parties to approach the negotiations with a spirit of tolerance, mutual respect and compromise in order to reach a lasting solution,” stated Ambassador Ntwaagae.
He, on other hand, welcomed the adoption of resolution 2152 which extends the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to 2015, expressing hope that their presence and intervention will help to conclude long outstanding matter. (SPS)
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