Havana, Feb 24 (Prensa Latina) Negotiations with Morocco are being fostered through formal and informal ways, but the Sahrawi people put their wish to self-determination first, Malainine Etkana, ambassador of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), stated in this capital.
Prior to the celebration of the 36th anniversary of the proclamation of that state on February 27, the diplomat expressed the Sahrawi people’s interest in going ahead with a free and democratic referendum to show the popular wish.
Etkana recalled that since 1976, the SADR government has had to face Moroccan occupation in most of the territory, because only one third of the country has been liberated.
Interviewed by Cuban television, Etkana stated that for 37 years, an important part of the Sahrawi population has lived in refugee camps, while another important group does it on the occupied territories, always in difficult conditions.
Since 1991, a year in which the ceasefire was proclaimed under the auspices of the United Nations, many roundtable negotiations have held, but Morocco’s intransigency and the support of many Western powers have always been present. »
The problem with the referendum is the lack of Morocco’s willingness to reach an accord to exercise the right to self-determination, because they only propose a possible autonomy, the ambassador said.
Cuba has always expressed solidarity with the SADR’s independence, in addition to being the only country that has trained Sahrawi students, many of whom are holding posts in the government, Etkana said.
Prensa Latina, 24/2/2012