June 21, 1999
Accra, Ghana (PANA) – Ghana’s Vice-President, John Atta Mills, on Monday, granted audience to Muhammed Salerm Ould Salek, Foreign Minister of the Sahraoui Arab Democratic Republic and assured him of Ghana’s continued support through the end of the territory’s struggle for freedom.
Mills said it is Ghana’s belief that the people of Western Sahara would be given the right to self-determination, and expressed the hope that the scheduled referendum to decide their future would be free and fair.
Salek called with a message from Algerian President Abdul Aziz Bouteflika, inviting President Jerry John Rawlings to visit the territory which has been struggling for self-rule from Morocco over the years.
He told Mills that the people of Western Sahara have followed with keen interest Ghana’s leading role to enhance development and stability in Africa, and would be glad to receive Rawlings.
“President Rawlings has something very special for the Sahraoui people,” he said, adding that his visit would mean a lot to them.
The OAU will hold a summit next month in Algeria to discuss, among other things, the plan of the UN to conduct a referendum on whether the territory, with a population of about 220,000, should become independent or remain part of Morocco which controls the main urban areas.
Salek spoke about impediments in the plans for the referendum which, he said, were being caused by Morocco, backed by France.
He called for Ghana’s intervention to lobby other countries like Nigeria to support the territory’s cause.
James Victor Gbeho, Ghana’s Foreign Minister, said the Ghanaian government was aware of the situation in the Western Sahara and would be ready to assess the latest developments there so as to be informed about what assistance it could offer the people.
