§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the decision of the UN to extend the Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara until 30 April; and what impact he expects this to have on Morocco. [154462]
§ Mr. RammellWe have consistently supported the efforts of the UN Secretary General and James Baker III, his Personal Envoy, to find a solution to the dispute over Western Sahara. We supported UN Security Council Resolution 1523, which extended the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 30 April, allowing Morocco the opportunity to consult further with Mr. Baker on the final Moroccan response to the latest UN Proposals, known as the Peace Plan. We continue to urge Morocco to engage constructively with Mr. Baker.
§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation with regard to the imprisonment of Western Sahara Polisario activists in Morocco. [154463]
§ Mr. RammellMinisters and officials regularly call upon the parties to the Western Sahara dispute to take action on human rights issues and we also raise specific cases. For example, my officials raised with the Moroccan authorities the cases of some of the 12 Saharawi activists who were subsequently released by the Moroccan authorities on 7 January 2004. We also raise with the Polisario and Algerian authorities the over 600 Moroccan prisoners of war who continue to be held by the Polisario, many on Algerian territory. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, taking action with the appropriate authorities where necessary.