WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3984/98 by Jesús CABEZÓN ALONSO Referendum on self-determination for Western Sahara
Date: 1999-01-04
Institutions: CABEZON ALONSO, European Parliament
Subjects: UNHCR, UNO, Western Sahara, referendum, self-determination, the EU's international role













EUR-Lex - 91998E3984 - EN






Avis juridique important




|



91998E3984

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3984/98 by Jesús CABEZÓN ALONSO Referendum on self-determination for Western Sahara  


Official Journal C 289 , 11/10/1999 P. 0109 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-3984/98by Jesús Cabezón Alonso (PSE) to the Council(4 January 1999)Subject: Referendum on self-determination for Western SaharaIn his most recent visit to the Western Saharan refugee camps in early December 1998, the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, succeeded in removing one of the obstacles affecting the preparations for the referendum on self-determination for Western Sahara, after the Polisario Front agreed that several thousands of people could opt to be included on the electoral register for the referendum, scheduled for 1999.In spite of this significant breakthrough, however, the Moroccan Government has once again raised objections which could jeopardise the progress and success of Mr Annan's initiative.Does the Council not believe that, given its interest in developing a Mediterranean policy, the European Union ought to become far more closely involved in cooperating actively to overcome the obstacles and difficulties, so that the referendum on self-determination for Western Sahara can go ahead on schedule in 1999?Reply(29 March 1999)The Council is already closely involved in the ongoing activity by the United Nations relating to the preparations that could allow for the referendum on self-determination for Western Sahara to take place during 1999.The Council has been following and monitoring developments both through its Member States action in the area and in the UN in New York; within the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, in particular in the competent working party, it has regularly debated UN initiatives in the area.In line with its continuing support for the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) to achieve a fair and lasting solution for Western Sahara and following UNSG's visit to the area, the Presidency issued a declaration on 29 December 1998 on behalf of the European Union:- supporting the settlement plan for Western Sahara proposed by the UNSG;- taking note of the completion of the identification of more than 147 000 applicants entitled to take part in the referendum while regretting the divergences on the issue of three contested tribal groupings;- welcoming the arbitration presented by the UNSG in order to move the identification process forward.The declaration also encouraged parties to formalise the presence of the UNHCR in the territory and to conclude the refugee repatriation protocol; it finally called for a prompt signing of the status-of-forces agreement on the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).The European Union has, therefore, learned with great interest that the Moroccan Government has meanwhile signed the status-of-forces agreement on MINURSO and hopes that this step will lead to further progress towards holding the referendum on self-determination. The EU stands ready to support the UN process in this critical phase.