Hope for 'transition period' by June: voter identification proceeds.

• Position: Western Sahara

Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali has expressed hope that enough progress would have been made by 31 March 1995 in identifying and registering voters in Western Sahara, to enable him to recommend 1 June 1995 as the start of the transitional period.

In a 14 December report (S/1994/1420), the Secretary-General said that in accordance with the UN Settlement Plan for Western Sahara, the combatants of the two sides would be confined to designated locations as of that date--to be known as "D-Day". As soon as possible afterwards, prisoners-of-war would be exchanged, amnesties for political prisoners and detainees proclaimed, and all political prisoners or detainees released.

Not later than 11 weeks after D-Day, by mid-August 1995, the reduction of Moroccan forces in the territory would be completed and all laws or measures that could obstruct the conduct of a free and fair referendum would be suspended.

The Secretary-General, who visited the region in November for consultations with the Frente Popular para la Liberacion de Saguia El-Hamra y de Rio de Oro (Frente POLISARIO) and the Moroccan Government, recommended that the Security Council approve the expansion of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to facilitate the timely completion of the identification and registration process. Such process should then be completed by mid-August and a final list of voters published. The Secretary-General envisaged the referendum to take place by October 1995.

The Security Council said there must be no further undue delay in the holding of a free, fair and impartial referendum for self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, in accordance with the settlement plan. In a 15 November statement by its President, Madeleine Albright of the United States, the Council concurred with the Secretary-General's view that the 28 August launching of the process for identifying and registering potential voters was a significant step towards fulfilment of the UN mandate on Western Sahara.

The Council expressed concern over the slow speed of the...