Oran (Algeria), December 21, 2015 (SPS) - Foreign Minister of Angola George Rebelo Pinto said Monday in Oran that the conflict of Western Sahara is a self-determination issue, noting that the position of the African Union is "unique and supports" self-determination referendum for the Saharawi people.
"The Western Sahara conflict is a self-determination issue and the African Union's position is clear and unequivocal. It focuses on the organization of a referendum," he said at the end of interviews with Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ramtane Lamamra, on the sidelines of the 3rd high-level seminar on peace and security in Africa, which opened yesterday in Oran.
Angolan FM recalled that the AU position on the question of Western Sahara has been adopted after a summit of African Heads of State. "This is the path that we must follow," he said, calling on the UN to "be in tune with the AU for the referendum in Western Sahara" and the international community to "respect the position of African Heads of State and UN resolutions."
The Angolan official also stressed that the presence of foreign ministers of the countries present at the United Nations Security Council in this high-level seminar is "important because it allows to exchange views on crucial issues debated at the United Nations, as it is important that Africa remains united way at the UN Security Council regarding the main issues of the continent."
He also raised the issue of an African permanent seat on the UN Security Council, he said, always arises. "The whole continent is engaged on the prospect of reform of the United Nations and particularly the Security Council. We believe it is important that Africa, the Middle East and Latin America will be present within the UN Security Council," he said.
As for relations between Algeria and Angola, the Angolan official dubbed them "very good", while highlighting the contribution of Algeria to Angola's independence struggle.
"We are willing to further deepen the cooperation between our two countries during my visit to Algeria, scheduled for the first quarter of 2016," he announced. (SPS)
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