“The representative of the Polisario Front to the United Nations noted that James Baker III, in his book“ Work Hard, Study. . . and Keep Out of Politics! », Published in October 2006, declared that the occupation of Western Sahara by Morocco will never be accepted by the international community. “Unless Morocco finds a way to solve the problem, it will never receive the imprimatur of international legitimacy for its occupation of Western Sahara,” he wrote.
According to Mr. Sidi Mohamed Omar, Baker affirmed that “despite the difficult conditions in which they live, the Saharawi people have exercised a certain degree of democracy, maintained a high literacy rate and have never resorted to terrorism”.
In 1997, the former US Secretary of State, Baker III was appointed by Koffi Annan Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Western Sahara. First, he proposed autonomy within the Moroccan state whose powers would be limited to defense and foreign affairs. The Polisario Front declined this proposal.
In 2003, he presented a new initiative known under the name of “Plan Baker II” proposing a referendum of self-determination after an autonomy of 5 years under Moroccan occupation in which Rabat reserves the skills of defense, interior, security, finances, currency, customs and communications. This plan was rejected by Morocco. . Following this refusal, Baker resigned in June 2004.
Tags : Sahara Occidental, Front Polisario, Maroc, ONU, James Baker, Plan Baker,
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