Madrid, January 16, 2012 (SPS) - The Coordination of the Spanish Associations of solidarity with the Saharawi people (CEAS-Sahara), Madrid Federation of Associations in solidarity with the Sahara (FEMAS) and the League of Youth and Students in Spain has asked the French President, Mr. Nicolas Sarkozy, to give priority in his country’s foreign policy to international law regarding the Western Sahara conflict, in a latter on the occasion of his visit to Spain.
The letter recalled that the support of France to the Kingdom of Morocco throughout the history of the conflict in Western Sahara, regretting on the opposition of Paris in 2010 before the Security Council against the expansion of the prerogatives of MINURSO for the protection and monitoring human rights situation.
“We express our concern for peace and stability under severe threat due to continued delays in the referendum of self-determination of the Saharawi people and the lack of a firm position by the UN, in accordance with the international law and legality, for the decolonization of the former Spanish colony,” stated the letter.
The Spanish organizations hoped that French foreign policy in North Africa, and specifically in Western Sahara, would “invoke international law, justice and defense of human rights in order to enable the Saharawi people to decide their own future.”
They called on the UN to live up to its commitments through the application of international law and to reject proposals to impose the Moroccan colonial policy,” reiterating the need for the urgent intervention to defend the human rights of the innocent Saharawi citizens, who are facing Moroccan repression in the occupied territories of Western Sahara.
The letter also regretted that the referendum which has been promised since 20 years by the UN through the UN-OAU settlement plan and accepted by both parties to the conflict, the Polisario Front and Morocco, has not been possible because of Rabat obstacles. (SPS)
090/089/TRA