Western Sahara solution appears within reach.

Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar on 21 February assured the Special Committee on decolonization that his continued efforts towards implementation of the peace plan for Western Sahara would lead to a peaceful, fair and lasting solution to the problem, including a UN-supervised referendum on self-determination.

Opening the first meeting of the Committee in 1991, he expressed hope that the parties--Morocco and the Frente Popular para la Liberacion de Saguia el-Hamra y de Rio de Oro (POLISARIO Front)--would continue to accord particular attention to all issues regarding the plan's implementation. Given their cooperation and political will, a solution would now be within reach, he said.

On 19 April, the Secretary-General issued his report (S/22464) on the situation concerning Western Sahara, pursuant to Security Council resolution 658 (1990) of 27 June 1990. Among other things, the report addressed each of the main elements of the implementation plan provided by the Secretary-General to implement the settlement proposals accepted by Morocco and POLISARIO on 30 August 1988 (S/21360). It amplified the information contained in document S/21360 regarding the personnel and financial requirements and the proposed timetable and plan of action of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, to be known by its French acronym MINURSO.

Under the settlement plan unanimously approved by resolution 658, the UN would supervise a cease-fire between Morocco and POLISARIO, and conduct a referendum by which the Western Sahara people would choose between independence and integration with Morocco.

MINURSO, headed by Johannes Manz, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara, will comprise an integrated support group of UN civilian, military and security units. Among its tasks: to set up a commission on identification to review and update the 1974 census and establish the number of Saharans living in the Territory and the number of Saharan refugees and non-residents qualified to participate in the referendum.

MINURSO would then oversee the repatriation of Sharan refugees, in cooperation with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. It would also ensure that any discriminatory laws affecting the holding of a fair and free referendum would be suspended. Political detainees would be released.