Question of Western Sahara.

1991/5. Question of Western Sahara

The Commission on Human Rights, Having considered in depth the question of Western Sahara, Recalling the inalienable right of all peoples to self-determination and independence in accordance with the principles set forth in the Charter of the United Nations and in General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, Recalling its earlier resolutions on the question of Western Sahara, the latest of which is resolution 1990/4 of 16 February 1990, Recalling resolution AHG/Res.104 (XIX) on Western Sahara, adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity at its nineteenth ordinary session, held at Addis Ababa from 6 to 12 June 1983, Recalling also the agreement in principle given on 30 August 1988 by the Kingdom of Morocco and the Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguia el-Hamra y de Río de Oro to the joint proposals of the current Chairman of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity and the Secretary-General of the United Nations with a view to the holding of a referendum for self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, organized and supervised by the United Nations in cooperation with the Organization of African Unity, Recalling further Security Council resolution 621 (1988) of 20 September 1988, concerning the question of Western Sahara, Taking note with satisfaction of the appointment on 19 January 1990 Mr. Johannes Manz as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Having examine the relevant chapter of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples [A/45/23 and Corr.1 (Part IV)], Having examined the report of the Secretary-General on the question of Western Sahara (A/45/644 and Corr.1), Reiterating its support for the joint good offices process initiated in New York on 9 April 1986 by the then Chairman of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity and the Secretary-General of the United Nations with a view to promoting a just and definitive solution of the question of Western Sahara in accordance with resolution AHG/Res.104 (XIX) and General Assembly resolution 40/50 of 2 December 1985,

1. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General on the question of Western Sahara;

2. Reaffirms that the question of Western Sahara is a question of decolonization which remains to be completed on the basis of the exercise by the people of Western Sahara of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence;

3. Welcomes with satisfaction the report submitted by the Secretary-General to the Security Council on the situation concerning Western Sahara (S/21360), which was unanimously approved by the Council in its resolution 658 (1990) of 27 June 1990;

4. Takes note with appreciation of the dispatching to Western Sahara and to neighbouring countries of the technical mission in order to refine the administrative aspects of the outlined plan (see S/21360, part II) and to obtain the necessary information for the preparation of a further report of the Secretary-General to the Security Council containing, in particular, an estimate of the cost of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara;

5. Expresses its full support for the efforts of the current Chairman of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity and the Secretary-General of the United Nations to promote a just and definitive solution of the question of Western Sahara, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 40/50 ;

6. Urges the current Chairman of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity and the Secretary-General of the United Nations to continue and intensify their efforts with a view to resolving the remaining problems, and thus to fulfil the necessary conditions for the holding of a referendum for self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, without any administrative or military constraints, organized and supervised by the United Nations in cooperation with the Organization of African Unity;

7. Reaffirms its conviction that the direct dialogue between the two parties to the conflict could contribute to the completion of the joint good offices process of the current Chairman of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, to the restoration of peace in Western Sahara and to stability and security in the whole region;

8. Appeals once again to the Kingdom of Morocco and the Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguia el-Hamra y de Río de Oro to display the cooperation and the political goodwill necessary for the completion of the peace process with a view to speedy settlement of the question of Western Sahara;

9. Recalls that the General Assembly, in its resolution 45/21 of 20 November 1990, has requested the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples to continue to consider the situation in Western Sahara as a matter of priority and to report thereon to the Assembly at its forty-sixth session;

10. Invites the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity to keep the Secretary-General of the United Nations informed of the progress achieved in the implementation of the decisions of the Organization of African Unity relating to Western Sahara;

11. Invites the Secretary-General to follow the situation in Western Sahara closely with a view to the implementation of General Assembly resolution 45/21 and to report thereon to the Assembly at its forty-sixth session;

12. Decides to follow the development of the situation in Western Sahara and to consider the question at its forty-eighth session, as a matter of high priority, under the agenda item "The right of peoples to self-determination and its application to peoples under colonial or alien domination or foreign occupation".

28th meeting
15 February 1991
[Adopted without a vote. See chap. IX.]