Bir Lehlou, 22 Nov 2015 (SPS) - President of the Republic, Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Mohamed Abdelaziz, has emphasized, in a letter to United Nations Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon, received Sunday by SPS, that the conflict cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely.
He further emphasized that the UN process is now at a complete standstill, and there is a growing frustration among the Sahrawi in Western Sahara and the refugee camps at the lack of progress towards a process of self-determination. This, along with the increasing presence of extremist, terrorist and criminal elements in the Sahel-Sahara zone, poses a significant risk to the stability and security of the Maghreb region, he added.
Below is the full text of the letter of President of the Republic, Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Mohamed Abdelaziz, to United Nations Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon:
“17 November 2015
Ban Ki-moon
UN Secretary-General
United Nations, New York
Your Excellency,
On behalf of the Frente POLISARIO as the legitimate and internationally recognized political representative for the Sahrawi people, I welcome your call on 4 November 2015 (SG/SM/17298-AFR/3255) for ‘true negotiations’ between the Frente POLISARIO and the Kingdom of Morocco in the coming months. Your statement reaffirms the historical and legal bases of the Sahrawi cause: that Western Sahara is not and has never been part of Moroccan territory and that its final status is linked to the decolonization process and the right to self-determination of the Sahrawi people. Consistent with your statement of 4 November, we reaffirm our support for your Personal Envoy Christopher Ross in his work to facilitate the entry of the parties into negotiations that would lead to a mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self-determination of the Sahrawi people of Western Sahara.
At the same time, I must express the deep concern of the Sahrawi people at the content of King Mohamed VI’s recent speech in the occupied city of Laayoune on 6 November 2015, on the fortieth anniversary of Morocco’s illegal invasion of Western Sahara. The speech was intentionally provocative, and aimed clearly at drawing a line under the UN political process. The statement by the King that he is now accelerating a “Development Model for the Southern Provinces” in order to “seal these province’s integration into the unified homeland” is a further confirmation of Morocco’s unwillingness to respect the current international status of Western Sahara as a Non-Self-Governing Territory, and the clear and unambiguous mandate from the Security Council that Western Sahara’s final status must be determined by a process of self-determination. The King’s statement is effectively a rejection of the UN political process, and any prospect of real and substantive negotiations.
Furthermore, I must express my deep concern at a recent statement by Moroccan Foreign Minister Salah EddineMezouar that Morocco will not allow your Personal Envoy to travel to the Territory of Western Sahara. Once again, this is a clear rejection of the UN’s role and responsibilities in Western Sahara, and the mandate from the Security Council for a political solution that provides for a process of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara. The Minister’s declaration constitutes a blatant interference with the ability of the Personal Envoy to carry out his mandate, and a violation of Article 100 (2) of the UN Charter, which requires Member States to respect the exclusively international character of the Special Envoy and his duties.
It goes without saying that these developments are completely unacceptable, and a direct challenge to the UN’s role and responsibilities in Western Sahara, not least its obligation to resolve the dispute in a manner that delivers on the “sacred trust” owed to the people of a Non-Self-Governing Territory awaiting a process of decolonization as detailed under Article 73 of Chapter XI of the UN Charter.
Your Excellency,
Given Morocco’s repeated and persistent demonstrations of bad faith in the negotiating process, it is incumbent upon your Office to take the following actions:
• Demand that King Mohamed VI of Morocco immediately clarify the content of his speech and seek reaffirmation of his commitment to negotiations on a process of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara, in accordance with multiple resolutions of the UN Security Council and General Assembly;
• Use your power under Article 99 of the UN Charter to bring these recent developments and the situation in Western Sahara to the attention of the UN Security Council and recommend that the Council issue a statement endorsing and supporting fully your call for intensive direct negotiations between the parties, with no preconditions and in good faith;
• Make clear your expectation that your Personal Envoy will be free to travel in Western Sahara, consistent with his mandate and the international character of his role;
YourExcellency,
We are at a crisis. The conflict cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely. The UN process is now at a complete standstill, and there is a growing frustration among the Sahrawi in Western Sahara and the refugee camps at the lack of progress towards a process of self-determination. This, along with the increasing presence of extremist, terrorist and criminal elements in the Sahel-Sahara zone, poses a significant risk to the stability and security of the Maghreb region.
Your call on 4 November for “true negotiations” in the coming months, and the prospect of your visit to the region, provides an opportunity to resuscitate the political process by bringing the two parties back to the negotiating table. But this will only be worthwhile if there is a prior understanding that such discussions are time-bound, substantive, and in accordance with the Security Council’s mandate for a just and mutually acceptable political solution that will provide for the self-determination of the Sahrawi people.
I would be most grateful if you would transmit a copy of this letter to the members of the Security Council.
Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
Mohammed Abdelaziz
President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Secretary-General, Frente POLISARIO” (SPS)
062/090