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International
Annan Backs Self-Government for Western Sahara
2003-05-28
Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged the U.N. Security Council Tuesday to support a peace plan for Western Sahara that would give the disputed territory immediate self-government followed by a referendum on its future within five years.
Let's see, first we'll be allowed to govern ourselves, then we'll hae a vote on how to govern ourselves. Makes as much sense as the UN always does.
In a report to the council, Annan called on the council to ask Morocco and the Polisario communist rebel movement, which both claim the mineral-rich desert region on Africa's Atlantic coast, to agree to the peace plan and to work with the United Nations to implement the final version without changes. Annan said he was making a recommendation because after more than 11 years and a cost of nearly $500 million to U.N. member states, both sides ``still lack the genuine will required to achieve a political solution to the conflict.''
I think Kofi needs an application of the ClueBat.
The dispute over the Western Sahara dates to 1975 when Spain abandoned the territory and Morocco annexed it, moving settlers in. Some 200,000 local Saharawi people fled into exile and still live in refugee camps in Algeria. Fighting ended in 1991 with a U.N.-negotiated cease-fire that called for a referendum on whether the territory would become independent or part of Morocco. Morocco has supported autonomy, but the Polisario Front and Algeria will not consider it and demand a referendum.
"And we demand that the Morrocans stand on their heads and spit out dinars!"
U.N. efforts to arrange the referendum have been frustrated by disputes over who would be eligible to vote. The U.N. mission charged with trying to carry out the referendum has about 240 uniformed personnel and Annan asked that its mandate be extended for two months until July 31 to give the Security Council sufficient time to reflect on its decision. Former U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker III, Annan's personal envoy, in February 2002 proposed four options to settle the dispute- try again to conduct a referendum, revise an autonomy proposal, consider dividing the territory or run away walk away.
I'd be reaching for my shoes, if it was up to me...
The Security Council couldn't agree on any of the options which wasn't surprising, and last July expressed its readiness to consider any approach that would get them off the hook provide for self-determination. Baker and a Florida state supreme court justice constitutional expert then drafted a peace plan that was presented to the parties and neighboring countries in January and to the council in early March. The plan envisages at least four years of self-government followed by a referendum within five years. Annan urged the council to support the peace plan with a few amendments. ``The peace plan provides a fair and balanced approach towards a political solution to the question of Western Sahara, providing each side some, but perhaps not all, of what it wants,'' Annan said in the report.
Since neither side wants to settle, there's no point, Kofi. Oh Rachel Lucas, another application of the ClueBat, please!
Posted by:Steve White

#3  Jim Baker is working for Kofi? Things must be tough all over.
Posted by: tu3031   2003-05-28 09:29:13  

#2  Is that clown Annan still around? I thought he took a job shining Ch'Iraq's shoes...
Posted by: Ned   2003-05-28 08:11:55  

#1  This is the major terrorist problem for Morocco and the rationale for the law cited above.

The notion that 200,000 people are refugees is absurd. Yet another statistic to use against Morocco.

Is Morocco perfect? No, but Western Sahara was the armpit of the world in 1975, and the Moroccans are making attempts to develope it. Polisario is merely a front for Algeria's expansionist aims, and would be a lot more dangerous if Algeria weren't so distracted by its own Islamofascist insurgency (brought on, in part, by its support of Polisario).
Posted by: Chuck   2003-05-28 08:00:27  

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