New Saharawi Foreign Minister

DATE:	28/02/97 21:58

Re:	Sahara Occidental - Western Sahara

Sender: arso@hei.unige.ch

Bachir Mustafa Sayed nouveau Ministre des Affaires Etrangeres et de la Cooperation de la RASD.

Le Coordinateur sahraoui avec la MINURSO et principal negociateur avec les autorites marocaines a ete nomme Ministre des Affaires Etrangeres et de la Cooperation de la Republique Arabe Sahraouie Democratique.

Bachir Mustafa Sayed, ne dans la region de Smara en 1953, marie et pere de 9 enfants, est l'un des membres fondateurs du Front POLISARIO en 1973. Apres la disparition de son frere El Ouali en 1976 il est elu secretaire general adjoint du Front Polisario. Membre de sa direction, il mene les negociations secretes avec le Maroc et fait partie de la delegation qui rencontre Hassan II a Marrakech en 1989. C'est lui qui a dirige la delegation sahraouie lors des negociations maroco-sahraouies a Geneve et Rabat en 1996.

Cette nomination intervient au lendemain de la commemoration du 21eme anniversaire de la Republique Sahraouie, proclamee le 27 fevrier 1976. A cette occasion les dirigeants sahraouis ont demande la relance du plan de paix de l'ONU par la poursuite du dialogue amorce a Rabat en septembre 1996. Le nouveau secretaire general des Nations Unies devrait presenter prochainement au Conseil de securite de nouvelles propositions pour debloquer le referendum. M. Kofi Annan se rendra a mi-mars au Sahara Occidental dans le cadre d'une visite en Angola et en Afrique du Sud.


Bachir Mustafa Sayed new Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the SADR.

The Sahrawi coordinator with MINURSO and main negociator with Morocco has been nominated Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

Bachir Mustafa Sayed was born 1953 in the Smara region, married and father of 9 children. He is one of the founders of the Polisario Front in 1973. After the death of his brother El Wali in 1976 he was vice Secretary-General of the Polisario Front. As a member of its leadership he ledthe secret negotiations with Morocco and took part in the delegation, which met Hassan II in Marrakesh 1989. He conducted the Sahrawi delegation at the negotiations with Morocco at Geneva and Rabat last year.

This nomination happens the day after the 21th anniversary of the proclamation of the Sahrawi Republic, February 27 1976. The Sahrawi government at this occasion asked for the relaunch of the peace plan by the way of continuing the direct negociations with Morocco. The new U.N. Secretary-General has to present shortly to the Security Council new proposals to raise the blockade of the referendum. Mr. Kofi Annan will visit Western Sahara at mid-March in the frame of a trip to Angola and South Africa.

 ___________________________________________________________
                            A R S O
    Association de soutien a un referendum libre et regulier au
                       Sahara occidental

    Address.........................cp 2229, CH-2800 DELEMONT 2
    Tel./Fax........................0041 32 422 87 17
    E-mail..........................arso@hei.unige.ch
    URL.............................http://heiwww.unige.ch/arso/
    ___________________________________________________________


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