"Statement Attributed to Nabil El Arabi on the Sahara is Inaccurate", Arab League

Morocco World News

New York, April 22, 2012

According to a statement issued by the Secretariat of the Arab League, its Secretary General, Nabil El Arabi did not speak about the Sahara in the terms attributed to him by some media. “The way in which some media quoted Nabil El Arabi regarding the issue of Western Sahara is not accurate,” said the statement.

“Nabil El Arabi’s answer to the question regarding the issue of Western Sahara, included all the aspects surrounding this issue in the framework of the United Nations, including the advisory opinion of International Court of Justice of 1975, the relevant resolutions of United Nations and the efforts of Special Envoy of the United Nations,” added the statement.

The Arab League’s Secretary General was believed to have asserted that the so-called Saharawi people have to be allowed to exert their right to self-determination regarding the Sahara conflict.

“Given the fact that all peoples in the world are entitled to the right of self-determination, no double standard should be applied when dealing with the Saharawi people. The Saharawi people have the right to self-determination,” Mr. El Arabi was quoted by the Algerian newspaper El Khabar as saying.

This alleged statement prompted the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to direct the Moroccan Ambassador to the Arab League in Egypt to inquire about its veracity.

This manipulation orchestrated by an Algerian newspaper comes while the Security Council is discussing a draft resolution on the extension of the mission of the MINURSO until 30 April 2013.

The first draft of the resolution which has been obtained by MWN, is almost a replica of previous resolution. While it calls on the parties, to enhance their cooperation with the MINURSO, it reiterates its call on the parties to continue negotiations under the auspices of the Secretary General without preconditions and in good faith with the view to achieving a just, lasting and mutually acceptable to the conflict.