Letter of Senator Allison to UNSC, UN SG and Australian Foreign Minister

25.07.02

Sir Jeremy Quentin Greenstock, KCMG
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the UK to the United Nations
President of the UN Security Council

Dear Sir Jeremy

I write in connection with the forthcoming discussion by the UN Security Council on the subject of Western Sahara.

I urge that the "Draft Framework Agreement" proposal is not considered by the UN Security Council. I understand that this option, which would effectively hand over the sovereignty of Western Sahara to Morocco, is still being promoted by some members of the Council, despite the fact that it would legitimise Morocco's occupation of the Western Sahara and deny its people their right to self-determination.

I suggest that the only legal and viable solution to the conflict in the Western Sahara is the implementation of the UN-OAU Peace Plan which requires a free and fair referendum for the people of Western Sahara. Any other course of action would doubtless have serious consequences for peace and stability in the region.

An extraordinary length of time has now passed since the Peace Plan was agreed and 160,000 or more Western Saharans still suffer the harshest of conditions in exile in the desert in Algeria after 25 years. I visited these people three years ago and, on their behalf, I implore the Security Council to implement the referendum which would allow the legitimate determination of sovereignty in Western Sahara and see them repatriated as soon as possible.

Please pass on my comments to members of the Security Council.

Yours sincerely

Lyn Allison
Australian Democrats Senator


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