Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 30 May 1990

Vol. 399 No. 4

Written Answers. - Western Sahara Conflict.

Gay Mitchell

Ceist:

60 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if everything possible is being done to assist the Sahrawi people to bring about a peaceful solution to the difficulties in the Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Collins)

I hope that a referendum on self-determination for the people of Western Sahara can be held under credible conditions at an early date and that it will expedite a peaceful solution to the conflict in the Western Sahara.

In August 1988, Morocco and the Polisario Front accepted a UN peace plan whose key feature was a referendum on self-determination. At the UN General Assembly last year, the Resolution on Western Sahara was adopted by consensus for the first time in many years. Ireland and the Twelve consider the parties concerned to be bound by the terms of that Resolution, which stressed the importance of the UN peace plan, including the holding of a referendum oganised and supervised by the United Nations in co-operation with the Organisation of African Unity. I stressed this point in my meeting with the Foreign Minister of Morocco, His Excellency Mr. Abd Al-Latif Filali last week.

The visit of the UN Secretary General to Morocco, Algeria and the Western Sahara in March increased the momentum. Concrete modalities for the referendum are now under discussion. The Twelve strongly support the efforts of the UN Secretary General to secure the co-operation of all parties concerned so that the timetable envisaged for the preparation of the referendum can be respected. I am satisfied that this is to the benefit of the Sahrawi people.