Brusels, April 24, 2014 (SPS) - the Vice President of the Western Sahara Intergroup of the European Parliament, Mr. Fabio Massimo Castaldo, said yesterday that "We are facing a situation where a country like Morocco is challenging the international law by illegally occupying another country", during a press conference with Saharawi Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Mohamed Salem Ould Salek.
Mr. Castaldo made clear that Western Sahara issue is not an internal conflict: "We are talking about justice, the respect of the international law, the United Nations resolutions and the recent ruling by the General Court of the European Union regarding Western Sahara.
He underlined that UN mission in Western Sahara, MINURSO, is facing a serious risk following the decision of Morocco to expel its staff in a clear violation of the UN Charter.
"We call for the immediate return of the MINURSO and we should stand firm against all the attempts made by Morocco to abolish the referendum of self-determination for Western Sahara people", added Mr. Castaldo.
Mr. Castaldo also recalled that Western Sahara remains one of the most contaminated territories by landmines with around 9 million spread in the two sides of the Moroccan military wall that divides Western Sahara. "The Polisario has signed the Geneva Convention on landmines and has fulfilled its obligations in this regard but we can't say the same thing on Morocco".
"We can't tolerate the Commission standing along for Morocco by presenting its appeal against the ruling of the GCEU. We can't tolerate the silence in front of the non-respect of the human rights, violence and torture suffered by the Western Sahara human rights activists"
The Vice President of the Western Sahara Intergroup condemned this "complicit silence", calling on the "European Commission to respect the principles of Nice Charter which is the fundamental basis of this Union ".SPS
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