Western Sahara (Hansard, 20 December 2000)

§ Mr. Corbyn
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total United Kingdom contribution has been to MINURSO since its establishment; and if he will make a statement on United Kingdom policy concerning its future. [143414]

§ Mr. Hain
Since the establishment of MINURSO in 1991, the total UK contribution has been £14.63 million.
The Government fully support the UN's efforts to bring peace to the region and will continue to work with the UN to find a just and durable settlement to the regions problems.

§ Mr. Corbyn
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Morocco concerning the future government of Western Sahara. [143417]

§ Mr. Hain
Since December 1998 I have met Moroccan counterparts on four occasions—in the UK, Morocco and New York—to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including Western Sahara. At each meeting I have expressed our strong support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, James Baker, to resolve this dispute and have urged the Moroccan authorities to cooperate fully with his mission.

§ Mr. Corbyn
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings his Department has held with representatives of the Polisario Front concerning the future of the Western Sahara. [143418]

§ Mr. Hain
In September in New York I met the Foreign Affairs Spokesman of the Polisario Front, Mr. Mohamed Ould Salech. To my knowledge, this was the first meeting between Polisario and a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials met Polisario Front officials on numerous occasions in 2000, in the UK, New York and north Africa.

§ Mr. Corbyn
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions have been taken recently at the United Nations to ensure that the proposed referendum on the future of the Western Sahara takes place. [143419]

§ Mr. Hain
On 30 October, the UN Security Council unanimously agreed resolution 1324, extending the UN mandate in the Western Sahara until 28 February 2001. This resolution gives James Baker, the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, further time to resolve problems with the Settlement Plan and to pursue a political solution with the parties to the dispute, Morocco and the Polisario Front.