Bir Lehlou (Liberated Zones), 20 July, 2015 (SPS) – The Government of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), on behalf of the Saharawi people, strongly condemns the announced plans by Irish company San Leon Energy to commence drilling the onshore Tarfaya well, El Aaiun-4 in the occupied Territory of Western Sahara, in a letter from President of the Saharawi Oil and Mines Authority Dr. Zbeir Ghali, to Company Executive Chairman Mr. M. Oisin Fanning.
In a press release, San Leon has announced “the signing of a rig contract with French Company Entrepose Drilling for the drilling of the El Aaiun-4 well on the Tarfaya conventional licence, onshore Morocco.” The proposed drill site is located near El Aaiún, the capital city of occupied Western Sahara and not in the ‘Southern Provinces’ of Morocco as asserted by San Leon’s Executive Chairman, Oisin Fanning, in a statement given to the Irish Independent on 13 July 2015.
The President of the Saharawi Oil and Mines Authority stressed “San Leon’s actions constitute a serious violation of international law and of the permanent sovereignty of the Saharawi people over the natural resources of Western Sahara,” adding that the Kingdom of Morocco, and its government agencies and corporations, have no legal basis or authority to grant exploration and development licenses in the occupied Territory of Western Sahara.
“Morocco’s presence in the Territory is the result of an illegal invasion and subsequent illegal occupation. In 1975, the International Court of Justice concluded that there were no ties of territorial sovereignty between Western Sahara and Morocco. No country recognizes Moroccan ties or sovereign rights over any part of the Territory of Western Sahara, thus further underlining the illegality of any attempt by Morocco to enter into agreements with foreign interests for the purpose of exploring and exploiting Western Sahara’s natural resources.”
“The SADR Government has confirmed its exclusive sovereign rights for the granting of licenses to authorize the exploration and development of the natural resources of Western Sahara.”
“The SADR Government, including the SADR Petroleum and Mines Authority, reserves the right to use all available means, including through legal action, to prevent and seek reparation in relation to any unauthorized activities concerning the natural resources of Western Sahara. The SADR urges San Leon Energy to cancel with immediate effect its plans to proceed with drilling in the occupied Territory of Western Sahara. The SADR has written to San Leon’s Executive Chairman, Oisin Fanning, to this effect.”
“The SADR undertakes to bring this issue to the attention of the UN Secretary-General and the UN Security Council as the activities of San Leon Energy run the risk of undermining the efforts of the UN to achieve a peaceful resolution to the dispute over Western Sahara that will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions,” concluded President of the Saharawi Oil and Mines Authority. (SPS)
062/090