Yearly Archives: 2008

The departure of Van Walsum is a victory to the international legality (Council of Ministers)

The Council of the Ministers of the Saharawi Republic considered on Sunday that the departure of the Un Secretary General’s Personal Envoy to Western Sahara, Peter Van Walsum, is “a victory of the international legality”.

Meeting under the chairmanship of the Head of the State, Mohamed Abdelaziz, the Council of the Ministers expressed the readiness of the Saharawi party to cooperate with the UN so as to reach a “just and definitive” solution that guarantee the Saharawi people’s right to self-determination and independence, according to a press release issued by the Council.

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UN confirms replacement of Western Sahara envoy

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — The United Nations confirmed on Thursday that the mandate of its mediator in the Western Sahara dispute, the Dutch diplomat Peter van Walsum, was not renewed after it expired August 21.

A spokeswoman for UN chief Ban Ki-moon said that “the Secretary-General appreciates the work done by his personal envoy” and “remains committed to offering the parties in the region his good offices.”

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Response to interview published in The Jakarta Post

I refer to the interview published in The Jakarta Post on July 31, titled
“Morocco to imitate RI to resolve W. Sahara issue”. It was one-sided and unbalanced. There was no reaction from Polisario, as there was in the article published June 30, “Saharan movement seeks RI’s help in quest for independence”, which outlined the position of both sides.
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UN rep claims Western Sahara has the law on their side, but not the UN Security Council

UN rep claims Western Sahara has the law on their side, but not the UN Security Council
Article published on the 2008-08-13
The UN mediator on the Western Sahara Peter van Walsum told the Spanish paper El Pais that the Frente Polisario, the group representing the Sahrawi people will never achieve independence, even though international law in on their side. Part of the problem, according to the Dutch diplomat, is that the UN Security Council “is not ready to exercise its authority under Article VII of the UN Charter, and impose it.”

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Paraguay and the Saharawi Republic establish diplomatic relations

Asunción, 12/08/2008 (SPS)
Paraguay and the Saharawi Republic decided to resume diplomatic relations and cooperation, according to a press release of the Paraguayan Minister for Foreign Affairs, published on Tuesday in Asunción.
“The two countries agree to strengthen their diplomatic relations, and relations of friendship and cooperation conforming to the norms and principles of the international law”, the text indicated.
The press release was published following a meeting that took place between the Saharawi Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Salem Ould Salek and his Paraguayan counterpart, Ruben Ramirez Lezcano.

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Furness Karumba repeating shipment

In 2005, the bulk vessel Furness Karumba became known in Australia, when she shipped phosphates – and 2 dead Moroccan stowaways – from occupied Western Sahara to Australia.
The bulk carrier Furness Karumba is now on a new journey with phosphates to Australia.
The vessel is set to arrive Fremantle Ports, near Perth, on 26th of August, and stay for approximately 8 days, before continuing on the 4th of September.

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A matter of social duty and fertiliser

ocean_id.jpg By Ivan Broadhead
South China Morning Post, 10 August 2008.
A Hong Kong company is linked to Morocco’s brutal exploitation of Western Sahara.
Western Sahara’s government-in-exile took the unusual step last week of warning Hong Kong’s Pacific Basin Shipping that it reserved the right to use “all means” to defend its sovereignty and protect the interests of its people.

Vanuatu and the Saharawi Republic establish diplomatic relations at Ambassadorial level

01/08/2008
The Republic of Vanuatu and the Saharawi Arab Democratic republic decided on Thursday in Port-Vila, to establish diplomatic relations. This was indicated in a joint press release signed by the Minister Delegated by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in Charge of Africa, Mohamed Yeslem Beissat, and Vanuatua’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Georges A. Wells.

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Denmark warns businesses over Western Sahara

Copenhagen (DanWatch) – Denmark is joining an increasing number of governments with official policies against trade in non-renewable resources from Western Sahara. The Danish position echoes the non-trade policies of fellow Scandinavian governments Sweden and Norway.
“Taking the principles of international law regarding non-renewable resources from Non-self Governing Territories as a point of reference, it is the opinion of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs that such exploitation should not take place,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement.

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