Washington, Nov 21, 2013 (SPS) -TheNew York Bar Association whichrecently studied the question of Western Sahara unanimously confirmed the ''illegality'' of any plan that excluded independence through the exercise of right to self-determination of the Sahrawis, arguing that thechoicelimited to the Moroccan autonomy plan is not consistent with international law.
Before reaching these conclusions in a large study that focused on''legal issues related to the conflict in Western Sahara,"the New York Bar carefully traced the genesis of the Western Sahara conflict since its colonization successively by Spain and Morocco to the process initiated by the UN for the treatment of the conflict between the Polisario Front and Morocco as well as the legal aspects of the Western Sahara issue under the principles of international law.
In this regard, the New York Bar Association said it had conducted this study ''to give U.S. policymakers guidance on this issue in the development of their policy with regard to the dispute between'' the Polisario Front and Morocco.
Having scrutinized the legal requirements for claiming the right to self-determination, the options applied to non-self-governing territories in general and the application of these principles to the case of Western Sahara, the New York Bar concluded that under international law,''the right to self-determination requires that the Sahrawis have the opportunity to freely determine their political status and that this should include the option of independence.''
'' The means by which the Saharawi people must be allowed to exercise the right to self-determination must ensure that the free will of the people of Western Sahara is be respected and cannot result in the restriction of options to those supporting the objectives of Morocco,'' it recommends.
As a result, the New York Bar said, the exercise of self-determination, whatever form it may take, must include, among other things, the option that the final status of Western Sahara will be independence. (SPS)
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