POLISARIO RESPONSE TO INVITATION TO U.S. HOSTED

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000235 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2017 TAGS: PREL UNSC MO AG SUBJECT: POLISARIO RESPONSE TO INVITATION TO U.S. HOSTED MEETING ON WESTERN SAHARA REF: A. USUN 00225 ¶B. USUN 0192 ¶C. STATE 33377 Classified By: Classified by Amb. Jackie. W. Sanders. E.O 12958. Reasons 1.4 (B&D). ¶1. (C) On instruction from the Polisario Leadership, Polisaro New York Representative Ahmed Boukhari delivered March 22 the Polisario response (text in para 2) to the March 20 invitation to a U.S.-hosted meeting with Morocco on the Western Sahara. Boukhari's only comment was that the Polisario wanted to be helpful, but that there were certain red lines they could not cross. ¶2. (U) Text of Polisario response: His Excellency Mr. Alejandro Wolff Acting Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations 140 East 45th Street New York, NY 10017 March 22, 2007 Mr. Ambassador, The Polisario Leadership has read with consideration and high interest your letter of March 19,2007 and instructed me to transmit to you the following: 1-The Polisario Leadership wanted to thank the United States Government for its efforts aimed at assuring peace in the world and, in this frame, its efforts to try to contribute to a just solution of the conflict over the decolonization of Western Sahara. 2-The Polisario Leadership has been and is still in favor of the principle of negotiations and dialogue under the auspices of United Nations with a view of facilitating a smooth, ordered and speedy implementation of the right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination, which has been the main legal pillar and raison-d'etre of all United Nations resolutions and of all Peace plans endorsed by the Security Council, ranging from the original Settlement Plan of 1990-91, the Houston Accords of 1997 to the Peace plan for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara (Plan Baker)(sic) of July 2003. 3-We were all these years feeding a legitimate hope to see the United States, with regard (sic) the question of Western Sahara, playing a decisive role to preserve this framework for any negotiations or dialogue with the intransigent occupying power of our country, taking into account your own great History, values, proved attachment to democracy, self-determination and human Rights as well as Mr. Baker (sic) priceless efforts. 4-In conclusion, and while thanking again the United States Government for this initiative, the Polisario Leadership is on (sic) the opinion that the acceptation of the principle of negotiations or talks with Morocco must be based on the following: i). These negotiations should take place under the United Nations auspices and with the valuable support of the United States; ii). They should take place in order to enable the people of Western Sahara to exercise their right to self-determination, in the framework of the Baker Peace Plan for Western Sahara. I avail myself of this opportunity to express to your Excellency my highest considerations. Ahmed Bujari Representative of the F. Polisario End Text WOLFF