New York, Oct 9, 2012 (SPS) - A number of interventions by representatives of various states from Latin America and Caribbean in favour of the process of decolonization have marked meeting of the UN Special Committee on Decolonization, which opened Monday, according to Saharawi diplomatic sources.
Addressing the UN Fourth Committee on behalf of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Spanish acronym: CELAC), Ambassador of Chile to the UN Mr. Octavio ERRAZURIZ reaffirmed support to the process of decolonization in Western Sahara and to the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination and independence.
Chilean Ambassador said that CELAC is in favour of all the resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly and Security Council concerning the question of Western Sahara.
From his part, the Permanent Representative of Nicaragua to the United Nations Mr. Jaime Hermida confirmed “compromise and solidarity with national liberation struggle of the Saharawi people for self-determination and independence,” expressing hope that the process of negotiation between the parties, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and Kingdom of Morocco, “is resumed immediately without preconditions”, to help efforts of the Special Envoy Christopher Ross in the aim that the Saharawi people “can finally, in a referendum organized by the United Nations, exercise their right to self-determination in accordance with the resolution 1514 (XV) and Charter of our Organization.”
Speaking during the meeting on Monday, Ambassador of Costa Rica to the United Nations Mr. Eduardo Ulibarri indicated that his country calls for “a just, durable and democratic political solution agreed upon by the parties” to the conflict of Western Sahara, stressing on the need to include the monitoring of human rights in the Territory within MINURSO mandate.
Speaking on behalf of the south Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela), Ambassador of Peru to the UN Mr. Enrique Roman-Morey underlined that these countries “strongly support efforts of the Secretary General and his Personal Envoy to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara in the context of arrangements compatible with the principles and purposes of the UN Charter and Resolution 1514 (XV) of the General Assembly and other pertinent resolutions.”
In addition, countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Pakistan maintain “principled position” in supporting right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination.
The Committee will hear interventions by the civil society petitioners on various issues on the agenda, including Western Sahara.
Dozens of civil society representatives from Europe, Africa and the United States expected to give testimonies about situation of the conflict in Western Sahara. (SPS)
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