PUSL.- In April 2007 the Polisario Front presented to the UN Security Council a proposal for a mutually acceptable political solution which provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
Much has been written about the Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara presented by the Kingdom of Morocco in 2007.
The autonomy plan presented during the mandate of James Baker of the United States and personal envoy of the United Nations Secretary General for Western Sahara, was accepted by the Polisario Front to be included in the questions of the referendum for the self-determination of Western Sahara.
So, in fact there would be three questions in the referendum which is the only possible political solution and in accordance with the UN resolutions.
1) independence
2) integration
3) autonomy plan
We will not dwell on the autonomy plan presented by Morocco in this article, but the reader can consult the interview with Ambassador Malainin Lakhal of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (https://porunsaharalibre.org/2022/08/26/autonomy-plan-of-morocco-for-western-sahara-an-ilegal-approach-and-no-solution/?lang=en).
We will speak instead of the proposal of the Polisario Front presented also in April 2007 and which unfortunately is never mentioned or even compared when countries, like it was recently the case of Germany, speak of a credible solution.
Having noted that the proposal of the Polisario Front is not widely known by the public, we attach the full text at the end of the article.
The main points of the proposal aim at a coexistence after the referendum between Moroccans now living as settlers in Western Sahara and the Saharawi people, but also at safeguarding economic, social and political rights and a cooperation at various levels between SADR and the Kingdom of Morocco to ensure the development of both countries and to promote peace in the region.
Let us see:
Readiness of the Frente POLISARIO to negotiate with a view to holding the referendum on self-determination and the granting of post-referendum guarantees to Morocco and to Moroccan residents in Western Sahara:
The Frente POLISARIO that unilaterally declared a cease-fire which it has ever since respected scrupulously, and that accepted and implemented in good faith the Settlement Plan by virtue of which the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) was deployed as well as the Houston Agreements, and that has honoured all the commitments it has undertaken by making concessions sometimes painful in order to offer to the Saharawi people the opportunity to freely decide their destiny, reiterates solemnly its acceptance of Baker Plan and declares its readiness to negotiate directly with the Kingdom of Morocco, under the auspices of the United Nations, the modalities for implementing it as well as those relating to the holding of a genuine referendum on self- determination in Western Sahara in strict conformity with the spirit and letter of the UN General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) and within the format envisaged in the framework of Baker Plan, namely the choice between independence, integration into the Kingdom of Morocco and self-governance.
The Frente POLISARIO is also committed to accepting the results of the referendum whatever they are and to already negotiate with the Kingdom of Morocco, under the auspices of the United Nations, the guarantees that it is prepared to grant to the Moroccan population residing in Western Sahara for 10 years as well as to the Kingdom of Morocco in the political, economic and security domains in the event that the referendum on self-determination would lead to independence.
The guarantees to be negotiated by the two parties would consist in:
– the mutual recognition of and respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the two countries in accordance with the principle of the intangibility of the borders inherited from the independence period;
– the granting of guarantees concerning the status and the rights and obligations of the Moroccan population in Western Sahara, including its participation in the political, economic and social life of the territory of Western Sahara. In this respect, the Saharawi State could grant the Saharawi nationality to any Moroccan citizen legally established in the territory that would apply for it;
– the agreement on equitable and mutually advantageous arrangements permitting the development and the joint exploitation of the existing natural resources or those that could be discovered during a determined period of time;
– the setting up of formulas of partnership and economic cooperation in different economic, commercial and financial sector.
– the renunciation by the two parties, on a reciprocal basis, of any compensation for the material destructions that have taken place since the beginning of the conflict in Western Sahara;
– the conclusion of security arrangements with the Kingdom of Morocco as well as with the countries of the region that may be interested;
– the commitment of the Saharawi State to work closely with the Kingdom of Morocco as well as with the other countries of the region with a view to bringing to conclusion the integration process of the Maghreb;
– the readiness of the Saharawi State to participate with Morocco and the countries of the region in the maintenance of peace, stability and security of the whole region in the face of the different threats that could target it.
Likewise, the Saharawi State would positively consider any request from the United Nations and the African Union to participate in peace-keeping operations.
This proposal remains valid on the part of the Polisario Front, despite the ceasefire violation in November 2020 by Morocco which led to the end of the agreement and a return to war.
The credibility and good faith of this proposal is unquestionable, and makes one wonder why countries like Germany and Spain do not reflect on it. Moreover, the Polisario proposal is framed and defined within the parameters and requirements of international law, the resolutions of the United Nations and the constitutive act of the African Union, and the various rounds of negotiations held between the Polisario Front and Morocco.
We recommend a careful reading of the full document:
Letter dated 16 April 2007 from the Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations addresse… by porunsaharalibre.org on Scribd
