New York (United Nations) February 15, 2017 (SPS) -The members of the African Union (AU) should ensure that Morocco respects the territorial integrity of Western Sahara, said Tuesday in New York the representative of Frente POLISARIO to the United Nations (UN), Ahmed Boukhari.
"The international community and the AU member states should ensure that Morocco complies with the UN Charter and the AU Constitutive Act, which it ratified," Boukhari told international news conference in New York.
"Since AU member state, Morocco should fulfil its commitments regarding the independence and the territorial integrity of Western Sahara," he said, adding that "if Morocco has joined the AU with good faith," it should respect the inviolability of borders, in accordance with Article 4 of the AU Constitutive Act.
The Polisario Front's representative underlined that "African heads of state should take necessary actions if Morocco does not comply with the Charter, which enshrines the respect of borders existing on achievement of independence."
In reply to a question about the MINURSO (UN Mission for Referendum in Western Sahara), Boukhari said that it is among the main issues on which the Sahrawi side is focusing its current efforts, adding that "it is the whole peace process that has been at the standstill since 2012."
The UN envoy for Western Sahara, in charge of relaunching the process, "could not go to the region because Morocco was not ready to receive him," he explained.
"I hope that Morocco is ready and not playing a game through a hidden agenda when joining the AU," he said, adding that "this would contribute to boosting the UN peace process."
125/090/700