[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 245 Introduced in House (IH)]




105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 245

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives in support of a 
   free and fair referendum on self-determination for the people of 
                            Western Sahara.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 25, 1997

Mr. Royce (for himself, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Menendez, and Mr. 
 Payne) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives in support of a 
   free and fair referendum on self-determination for the people of 
                            Western Sahara.

Whereas the International Court of Justice, in its opinion of October 16, 1975, 
        declared that there is no establishment of any legal ties of territorial 
        sovereignty between the territory of Western Sahara and the Kingdom of 
        Morocco;
Whereas the September 1991 cease-fire accord between the Kingdom of Morocco and 
        the Front for the Liberation of Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro, also 
        known as the Polisario Front, called for a referendum by the legitimate 
        people of Western Sahara;
Whereas the referendum originally scheduled for January 1992 has been repeatedly 
        postponed because of disagreement over voter eligibility;
Whereas the United Nations has appointed former United States Secretary of State 
        James Baker III as Personal Envoy of the Secretary General for Western 
        Sahara to end the current referendum stalemate;
Whereas talks between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Polisario Front mediated by 
        Mr. Baker have achieved agreement on ways to end the referendum 
        stalemate;
Whereas the end of the stalemate over the Western Sahara referendum would allow 
        for the release of civilian political prisoners and prisoners of war 
        held by Morocco and the Polisario Front; and
Whereas the United States supports the holding of a free, fair, and transparent 
        referendum on self-determination for the people of Western Sahara: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses its full support to former United States 
        Secretary of State James Baker III in his mission as Personal 
        Envoy of the United Nations Secretary General for the Western 
        Sahara;
            (2) expresses its support for a referendum on self-
        determination for the people of Western Sahara that should meet 
        the following criteria:
                    (A) free, fair, and transparent and held in the 
                presence of international and domestic observers and 
                international media without administrative or military 
                pressure or interference;
                    (B) only genuine Sahrawis, as identified in the 
                method agreed to by both sides, will take part in the 
                referendum voting; and
                    (C) the result, once certified by the United 
                Nations, is accepted by both sides;
            (3) encourages the release of civilian political prisoners 
        and prisoners of war held by Morocco and the Polisario Front at 
        the earliest possible date; and
            (4) requests the administration to fully support former 
        United States Secretary of State James Baker III in his mission 
        of organizing a free, fair, and transparent referendum on self-
        determination for the people of Western Sahara without military 
        or administrative constraints.
                                 <all>