Doc. 9082 rev
1 June 2001

Western Sahara

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mrs Torrado and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

The mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum on Western Sahara (MINURSA) is due to expire on 30 April 2001, and no extension has yet been envisaged.

This difficult situation, and the possibility of a fresh outbreak of armed conflict, have arisen as a result of failure to observe the Western Sahara Settlement Plan, which entered into force in 1991 under the auspices of the UN and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), and provided for an initial ceasefire followed by a referendum on self-determination;

The Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers:

1.        defend the Peace Plan approved and accepted by both sides to the conflict and the holding of a referendum on self-determination as the only means of achieving a just and sustainable resolution to the conflict;

2.        request all Maghreb states to provide information enabling the Council to monitor the area’s stability;

3.        intensify humanitarian aid to the refugee camps from Council of Europe member states, until such time as the conflict is resolved;

4.        ask the United Nations to maintain its MINURSA mission in the area, in order to ensure that the Settlement Plan is implemented;

5.        notify the Human Rights Forum concerning the situation in the area as regards respect for human rights.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed : ¹

Torrado, Espagne, SOC

Acosta, Espagne, LDR

Agudo, Espagne, SOC

Alis Font, Andorre, SOC

Arnau, Espagne, SOC

Besostri, Italie, SOC

Busic, Croatie, PPE/DC

Dokle, Albanie, SOC

Durrieu, France, SOC

Fernández Aguilar, Espagne, EPP/CD

González de Txabarri, Espagne, PPE/DC

Hancock, Royaume-Uni, LDR

Iwinski, Pologne, SOC

Juri, Slovénie, SOC

López González, Espagne, SOC

Poptodorova, Bulgarie, SOC

Robol, Italie, PPE/DC

Schmied, Suisse, LDR

Squarcialupi, Italie, SOC

Vermot-Mangold, Suisse, SOC

Yáñez-Barnuevo, Espagne, SOC

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group