[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 93 (Thursday, July 8, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1330]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       WELCOMING KING MOHAMMED VI

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSEPH R. PITTS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 8, 2004

  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Payne and I welcome King Mohammed VI of 
Morocco to the United States and wish him well during his visit. We 
strongly urge His Majesty to uphold and implement his nation's 
agreements regarding the conflict over the Western Sahara. In addition, 
we urge His Majesty to uphold UN Security Council Resolution 1541 as a 
tribute to former Secretary of State James A. Baker III, who promoted 
international legality and justice while responding to the true long-
term interests of both parties concerned in this conflict. His 
Majesty's support for the former U.N. Special Envoy Baker's Peace Plan 
would be the best contribution to peace and stability in the region. In 
addition, upholding the Peace Plan would demonstrate the effectiveness 
of the pursuit of national aspirations through non-violence in the 
greater Middle East, a region that has been the target of much 
violence.
  Mr. Speaker, last week, a number of Members sent a letter to 
President Bush requesting that during his meeting with the King, he 
strongly encourage His Majesty to implement the United Nations 
Settlement Plan in order to achieve a just, peaceful, and lasting 
resolution to the conflict over Western Sahara. The letter welcomed 
United Nations Security Council Resolution No. 1541 adopted April 29, 
2004, which reaffirmed support for the Peace Plan for Self-
Determination of the People of Western Sahara devised by UN Secretary 
General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy, James Baker, and shared deep regret 
over the departure of Mr. Baker and the circumstances that led to his 
resignation.
  In addition, the letter welcomed the confidence-building measures 
taken by the Polisario Front which released a further 643 Moroccan POWs 
since July 2003; the number of POWs the Polisario has liberated since 
1991 now totals 1,760. However, the Members of Congress expressed their 
regret that the Government of King Mohammed VI has not reciprocated in 
a commensurate way. The fact that the Sahrawis have opted for non-
violence in the affirmation of their identity and have respected the 
terms of the cease-fire signed in 1991 between their representative and 
Morocco, is telling in terms of who is committed to settlement of the 
conflict.
  Further, the letter expressed great concern that if the conflict 
between these two parties is left unresolved, it has the potential to 
disrupt peace and stability in the Maghreb region, thus threatening the 
interests of the United States. The Members expressed that the United 
States should use its unique influence in that region to press the 
Moroccan Government and the Polisario Front to agree to the Peace Plan 
and to implement it under the supervision of the United Nations. 
Although U.S. attention is primarily focused, as it should be, on Iraq 
and on the war against terrorism, the letter underscores the concern of 
the Members that the Western Sahara conflict needs to be addressed 
urgently and fairly to the benefit of the peoples of the region and in 
the interest of the United States. A peaceful, successful resolution of 
the conflict over Western Sahara will provide a signal to the Broader 
Middle East and North African region that in the 21st century there are 
successful alternatives to violence in the pursuit of national 
aspirations.
  Mr. Speaker, we again extend our welcome to His Majesty and strongly 
urge him not to stand in the way of progress towards the peaceful 
resolution of the conflict over Western Sahara.

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