APS : Monday, 02 May 2016
ALGIERS- Algeria’s “constant” position on Western Sahara issue is that of the international community, reaffirmed Monday in Algiers Minister of Maghreb Affairs, African Union and Arab League Abdelkader Messahel.
“Algeria’s position is constant and it is that of the international community since it was included in the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories in 1963,” Messahel told the national Radio.
“The solution lies in the holding of a referendum to allow Sahrawi people decide freely the future of their territory. It is not up to Algeria, or Morocco, or the United States, or France, or the Security Council to decide. It is an inalienable right of a people to a territory called Western Sahara, which is a non-self-governing territory,” explained Messahel.
The minister underlined the need to promote “political talks” between the parties to the conflict (Morocco and Polisario Front).
“Negotiations are key element for the resolution of the conflict. Only the political solution would allow the Sahrawi people to express freely their choices,” he said adding that UN practice in such conflict is clear.”
As regards the adoption by the UN Security Council of the resolution 2285 (2016) on the extension of the mandate of the UN Mission for Referendum on Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 30 April 2017, Messahel said that through this resolution, five fundamental principles of the UN have been underlined.
“We consider that this resolution is an important decision, based on five fundamental principles of the UN: first this issue is a question of decolonization of a territory listed as a non-self-governing territory, second, it is a decolonization process not achieved by the UN, and the decolonization of the territory is incumbent on the UN,” explained the minister.
