New York, April 16, 2012 (SPS) - The Polisario Front denounced Monday the actions being done by the French representation to the UN to influence the content of the next resolution on Western Sahara expected to be adopted by the Security Council before the end of this April.
In statements to the press, POLISARIO Representative to the UN, Mr. Boukhari Ahmed, confirmed that France "aims, through its representation in the Security Council, to put all the obstacles to evade the preparation for a resolution on Western Sahara, which is at the level of responsibilities of the Security Council as well as the strong and obvious message presented by the UN Secretary General at the rest of the original copy of his report."
On this last point alluded by Mr. Boukhari Ahmed, several amendments has been noticed on the report of the UN chief Ban Ki-moon after it published Friday on the UN website.
The Saharawi Diplomat indicated in spite that the text confirms that MINURSO “is a United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara,” but its original form of English has been distorted, especially the parts of the self-determination referendum of the Saharawi people.
“Despite the pressure exerted by Morocco and France to change or underestimate the importance of some parts of the report, it will remain a call for the Security Council and international community in order to shoulder their responsibilities concerning the decolonization of the last colony in Africa committed since 1965,” POLISARIO Representative indicated.
He said that despite the existence of some imperfections in Ban’s report, it can be considered “a condemnation to the unacceptable behavior of Morocco towards the MINURSO,” adding “MINURSO gradually found itself in an intolerable position in terms of its credibility, neutrality and therefore to its ability to fulfill the task charged by the international community in 1991 about the decolonization of Western Sahara.”
“We and thousands of French who support the Saharawi cause wonder about the motives of France position on this issue, which violates its national pride and glory when it chooses the counter orientation to its principles that dedicate human rights and the right of self-determination of a small and peaceful people still subjected to a military occupation condemned by different UN regulations.”
Mr. Boukhari Ahmed considered that through this act, being done without the knowledge of the French people and contrary to its obligations under the Charter of the United Nations, France is renewing its serious message that is difficult to forget for the Saharawi generations in transforming the repression of the Saharawi people to a national cause.”
The Saharawi Diplomat underlined that Morocco “has been threatening the UN principle of neutrality since several years.”
It should be recalled that the Security Council draft resolution on Western Sahara will be prepared, as usual, by the Group of Friends of Western Sahara before being submitted to the other members of the Security Council for approval before 30 April. (SPS)
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