UN envoy arrives in Morocco

The UN envoy for Western Sahara, James Baker III, arrived in Morocco on Tuesday on a three-day visit to Western Sahara and neighbouring countries in a bid to revive UN efforts to solve the conflict in that region. The Moroccan news agency (MAP) on Tuesday quoted the Moroccan Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister Mohamed Benaissa as saying the government would study "in a constructive spirit" the proposals made by Baker. Benaissa told journalists that Baker had presented to the government a draft proposal within the mission entrusted to him by the UN Security Council in accordance with a resolution passed last July and aimed at finding a political solution to the issue. "Morocco emphasises its full readiness to cooperate with the United Nations and renews attachment to international legality within the respect of the kingdom's national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Benaissa said. Baker, a former US secretary of state, is expected to hold talks from 14 to 17 January with officials in Morocco, Algeria, Western Sahara and Mauritania, and leaders of the Polisario Front. The UN said in a press release on 6 January that Baker would present and lobby in favour of a UN proposal for a political solution to the conflict as requested by Security Council Resolution 1429 of 30 July 2002. The conflict between Morocco and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Rio de Oro (Polisario Front) broke out in 1975 when Morocco annexed the territory following Spain's withdrawal from it. While Morocco claims sovereignty over the northwest African territory, the Polisario Front wants self-determination for its people. In early 2002, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan proposed ending the UN mission as one of four options for resolving the conflict. The others were the implementation of a 1998 settlement plan which included the referendum, the revision of a draft framework agreement worked out by Baker, and discussions on the division of the territory. Morocco rejected any division of the territory, while the Polisario Front said it would not accept the draft framework agreement as proposed by Baker. It, however, recently said it would listen to all proposals to be made by Baker and would adopt the suitable standpoint in this regard , while stressing the attachment to the Moroccan identity of the Sahara and any political settlement likely to consecrate the Moroccan sovereignty over the southern provinces. Meanwhile, a Saharan association sent an open letter to Baker attracting his attention to the serious human rights violations committed by the Polisario leadership in the Tindouf camps, southwestern Algeria, MAP reported on Monday. The violations are committed by the leadership of Polisario, "with whom you will hold talks", part of the coming tour in the Maghreb, the association of the victims of human rights violations committed by the Polisario said in the letter.