Western Sahara (Hansard, 2 December 1993)

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on when he expects a referendum will be held on the future of the western Sahara.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The United Nations Secretary-General states in his latest report dated 24 November that he hopes that the referendum will take place in mid-1994 subject to the co-operation of both parties.
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§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent to which the Government of Morocco are co-operating with United Nations attempts to hold a free and fair referendum in the western Sahara.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The United Nations Secretary-General's latest report makes no criticism of the co-operation he has received from either Morocco or the Polisario Front, but he has stressed that their continued co-operation is essential if the referendum is to be held next year.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Morocco about the future government of the western Sahara.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
We have used our contacts with both sides to this dispute to urge full co-operation with the United Nations Secretary-General in the implementation of the United Nations settlement plan.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from the United Nations Special Representative to the western Sahara.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The United Nations Secretary-General's Special Representative reports to Mr. Boutros Ghali. The Secretary-General's latest report was issued on 24 November.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the number of Moroccan troops in western Sahara.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
We have no information on the precise numbers of Moroccan troops in the western Sahara.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about recent settlement in western Sahara by Moroccans.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
We have no reliable information about recent settlement in the western Sahara by Moroccans.

§ Mr. Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether United Nations troops in western Sahara have the necessary freedom to undertake their mission successfully.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The Secretary-General's latest report pays tribute to the military personnel of the United Nations mission for the referendum in the western Sahara —MINURSO—for the contribution they have made to the maintenance of the ceasefire in western Sahara. It contains no suggestion that they lack the necessary freedom to undertake their duties successfully.