WEEKLY NEWS

 

WEEK 14

31.03.-06.04.1997

 

 

30.03.97
James Baker in W. S.

The foreign minister of the SADR announced that James Baker was expected to visit the Western Sahara in the third week of April. In a press statement Bachir Sayed affirmed that the SADR welcomed this visit, attached high hopes on it to reach a solution to the Sahara issue and deliver the peace process from the crisis which was caused by the intransigence of the Moroccan side.

02.04.97
Baker's Mission

James Baker III was at UN Headquarters for a full schedule of briefings ending with a meeting with the Secretary-General. Kofi Annan asked him to go to the region to assess the situation and to advise him whether or not a settlement plan can be implemented, Mr. Baker said. He has also to advise him on any additional initiatives that can be taken. The UN Secretary-General Personal Envoy planned to go to the region as soon as he could make arrangements with the parties involved, but he did not specify what countries he would visit. "It seems to me the constellations are such that there should be the potential for some possibilities here," Baker said. "All I can tell you is I will give it my very best effort." Mr. Jensen, the Acting Special Representative for Western Sahara, continues doing the day-to-day work as head of the Mission.

02.04.97
Recognition retired

Guinea-Bissau announces that it does no more recognize the SADR. It is the 4th African country, after Burkina-Fasso, Congo and Benin, which retired its recognition in the last months.

New England' Africa Peace Tour
African scholars and activists touring almost 40 college and university campuses throughout New England, USA, April 7-11, 1997, are available for media assignments and interviews in the region. The Africa Peace Tour is sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), an international Quaker relief, development and advocacy organization involved in Africa and concerned about Africa's relationship with the U.S. The Africa Peace Tour will be hosted by colleges and universities in Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and Maine, including Brandeis and Tufts in the Boston area, Bryant and Brown in Rhode Island, the University of Vermont in Burlington, and Wesleyan and Yale universities in Connecticut. The group includes nationals from Zaire, Burundi, Liberia, Nigeria, Ghana, Algeria, Western Sahara, Sudan, Mauritania, Mozambique, Mali and South Africa.
Contact: J. Ron Byler, 215-241-7060, or Aishah Shahidah Simmons, 215-241-7056, both of AFSC.

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