Western Sahara: referendum reaffirmed.The United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara MINURSO is the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara. The name is a French acronym for "Mission des Nations unies pour l'Organisation d'un Référendum au Sahara O (MINURSO MINURSO United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara ) was extended by the Security Council until 31 May 1997, while efforts to implement the 1988 Settlement Plan continued. Under resolution 1084 (1996), adopted unanimously on 27 November, the Council restated "its commitment to the holding, as soon as possible, of a free, fair and impartial referendum" for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara Western Sahara, territory (2005 est. pop. 273,000), 102,703 sq mi (266,000 sq km), NW Africa, occupied by Morocco. It borders on the Atlantic Ocean in the west, on Morocco in the north, on Algeria in the northeast, and on Mauritania in the east and south. , and welcomed the goodwill gestures of the parties, including the release of prisoners. The Moroccan Government and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra Saguia el-Hamra, in Arabic سقية الحمراء, Saqiyat al-Hamra'a ("Red Canal"), is, with Río de Oro, one of the two territories that formed the Spanish province of Spanish Sahara after 1969. and Rio de Oro Río de O·ro The southern part of Western Sahara in northwest Africa. (POLISARIO Polisario officially Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el Hamra and Río de Oro Sahrawi political and military group. Initially an insurgent against Spanish control of Western Sahara, it turned to agitation against Morocco and Mauritania when the ) were encouraged to pursue their efforts to build confidence between them. The Council also asked the Secretary-General to continue his efforts to break the impasse in the implementation of the Settlement Plan. He was to report on those efforts by 28 February 1997 and introduce proposals for alternative steps, in the framework of the Plan, if there was no meaningful progress towards removing the obstacles to its implementation. In a 5 November report (S/1996/913) in which he recommended the extension of the Mission, the Secretary-General nonetheless cautioned the parties that the international community could not be expected to extend the Mission indefinitely without seeing tangible progress towards a settlement. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the report, since the end of May, the Secretary-General's Acting Special Representative, Erik Jensen, had travelled regularly between Rabat Rabat (räbät`), city (1994 pop. 787,745), capital of Morocco, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Bou Regreg estuary, opposite Salé. and the Tindouf area. He had also communicated regularly with the Moroccan Minister of the Interior and 'the POLISARIO Coordinator for MINURSO. In October, he had met in Algiers with the Minister for Foreign Affairs foreign affairs pl.n. Affairs concerning international relations and national interests in foreign countries. of Algeria and in Nouakchott with the President of Mauritania and his Minister for Foreign Affairs. In those meetings, he had focused on ways to overcome obstacles to the implementation of the Settlement Plan, especially those aspects highlighted by the Security Council. While the Government and POLISARIO had reiterated their commitment to the Plan, continued to respect the cease-fire, and were hopeful ways might be found to resume the identification process, they remained divided over questions concerning contested tribal groups, as well as over lists of persons already identified and found eligible to vote. The Secretary-General said the differing positions "remain irreconcilable". The efforts of Mr. Jensen in assisting the parties to overcome their differences, and the presence of the political office and military observers, had helped to reassure both parties of the continuing willingness of the international community to assist them, according to the Secretary-General. It had also been important in ensuring respect for the cease-fire and reducing the danger of a return to hostilities. He urged the parties to take further positive steps that could help improve prospects for a lasting settlement. Military aspects Following the Council's temporary suspension of the identification process under resolution 1056 (1996) of 29 May, the military component of MINURSO was reduced from 288 military observers in May to 230 on 1 November. Ground patrols were maintained at previous levels and helicopter reconnaissance flights were increased. MINURSO has noted technical violations and intensified military activity on both sides, apparently aimed at ensuring combat readiness Synonymous with operational readiness, with respect to missions or functions performed in combat. for the end of the MINURSO mandate, it was reported. The Mission's civilian police component, headed by Lieutenant-Colonel Jan Kleven of Norway, was also reduced, from 91 police officers in January 1996 to 9, as were the number of civilian posts, from 410 to 170. New Force Commander Major-General Jorge Barroso De Moura of Portugal became Force Commander of MINURSO, effective 1 December 1996. He replaced Major-General Jose Eduardo Garcia Leandro, also of Portugal, who had completed his tour of duty. Mission Costs Slashed Retrenchments have cut down on the cost of the Mission by some 40 per cent, from an original $48,456,000 to $30,132,000 (net per annum Per annum Yearly. ). |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion