Vol. 411 No. 1
159 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he will raise the issue of the immediate release of all remaining prisoners held without trial in secret detention in Western Sahara and the holding of an impartial public inquiry on the issue.
Ireland and its partners in the European Community have publicly expressed their firm support for the unstinting efforts of the UN Secretary General and his Special Representative to implement in full the provisions of the UN Plan for Western Sahara. Central to the plan is the proposed referendum to be held in the territory under the auspices of the United Nations Mission for the referendum in Western Sahara, known as MINURSO, early next year.
One of the tasks of the Secretary General's Special Representative will be to secure the release, before the referendum campaign begins, of all Western Saharan political prisoners or detainees. An amnesty is envisaged as the first stage in the process of prisoner release. In this task the Special Representative will be assisted by an independent jurist appointed by the Secretary General. It is envisaged that MINURSO will oversee the release of political prisoners and prisoners of war.
