Maseru (Lesotho) 09 October 2019 (SPS)- The Kingdom of Lesotho expressed its attachment to its historic and distinguished relations with the Sahrawi Republic, affirming its support for the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination and independence, and demanding the implementation of the UN Mission’s mandate consisting in the organization of a self-determination referendum.
In a Note Verbal addressed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations of the Kingdom of Lesotho to its Saharawi counterpart on Tuesday, Lesotho rejected Moroccan allegations filled with false interpretations propagated by Morocco in various media regarding the position of the Kingdom of Lesotho on the issue of Western Sahara and its relations with the Sahrawi Republic.
Lesotho also reaffirmed its support for efforts to reach a political and peaceful solution, including all initiatives at the AU level to end the conflict between the "Sahrawi Republic and the Kingdom of Morocco".
It is worth recalling that the foreign ministers of the two countries stressed on Tuesday the will of the two parties to strengthen relations of cooperation and solidarity between the two countries and peoples and to further develop these relations in the future.
Following is the full text of the Note Verbal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations of the Kingdom of Lesotho as received by the Sahrawi Ministry of Foreign Affairs today:
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations of the Kingdom of Lesotho presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic and with reference to the note addressed to the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco on the position of the Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho regarding the Status of Western Sahara, has the honour to inform the esteemed Ministry as follows:
The Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho reiterates its support to the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and underscores its commitment to the bilateral relations and cooperation that have so happily subsisted between the two sister courtiers for decades.
The Kingdom of Lesotho and the SADR (Western Sahara), will continue to work towards strengthening their relations for the mutual benefit of their peoples and countries.
Lesotho expresses its deep regret that the issue of Western Sahara continues to feature on the United Nations Decolonisation Agenda to date. Lesotho reiterates the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 40/50 of 02 December, 1985, in terms of which the Assembly affirmed the fact that the issue of the Western Sahara was a question of decolonisation which remained to be completed on the basis of the exercise by the People of Western Sahara of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence.
Lesotho wishes to underscore the need for creating conditions that would allow the holding of a peaceful and fair referendum for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. In this connection, Lesotho welcomes the holding of the initial Round of Dialogue that took place in Geneva on 05 December, 2018, between the Frente Polisario and the Kingdom of Morocco, under the auspices of the Special Envoy to the UN Secretary General, Mr. Horst Kohler, pursuant to the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2440 adopted on 31st October 2018. We encourage both parties to act in good faith with a view to achieving a lasting political solution to the problem at hand.
The Kingdom of Lesotho shall continue to work for a peaceful, democratic and human rights oriented African Continent with its members co-existing side by side in peace and harmony.
The Government of Lesotho will actively support the ongoing UN-Led process including all the African Union initiatives aimed at finding a lasting solution to the conflict between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations of the Kingdom of Lesotho avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic the assurances of its highest consideration.
Maseru,
8 October 2019"
090/500/60 (SPS)