VP/HR — Western Sahara

18.6.2012

Question for written answer E-005996/2012
to the Commission (Vice-President/High Representative)
Rule 117
Marco Scurria (PPE) , Iva Zanicchi (PPE) , Licia Ronzulli (PPE) , Pino Arlacchi (S&D) , Erminia Mazzoni (PPE) , Santiago Fisas Ayxela (PPE) , Roberta Angelilli (PPE) , Lara Comi (PPE) , Carlo Fidanza (PPE) , Raffaele Baldassarre (PPE) , Antonio Cancian (PPE) , Barbara Matera (PPE) , Sergio Paolo Francesco Silvestris (PPE) , Mario Mauro (PPE) and Potito Salatto (PPE)

Morocco has arbitrarily decided to withdraw its confidence in the UN Secretary-General's special envoy for Western Sahara, Christopher Ross, who has the difficult task of attempting to find a just and lasting settlement of the conflict between the Alawite monarchy and the Polisario Front.

The decision came after the submission of a report on Western Sahara to the Security Council by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The text, guided by the work of Ambassador Ross, was initially approved also by Morocco, which is currently a member of the Security Council, but was later deemed to be biased and unbalanced.

This initiative halts the peace process at the very moment when a visit to the peoples affected by the conflict was on the agenda, in addition to further meetings between the parties.

1. Can the Vice-President/High Representative say what action she intends to take to ensure that the peace negotiations and dialogue continue?

2. Can she also say what measures she will take to safeguard and protect human rights in the area in question?

OJ C 182 E, 27/06/2013