Letter: Sahara referendum

Sir: Richard Dowden's article on the referendum on the future of the Western Sahara ('Morocco delay tactics frustrate vote on Sahara', 26 November) is forgetful of the fact that at the Security Council meeting of 28 October 1992, the UN Secretary-General's special representative, Zada Yacoub Khan, informed the members that Morocco had accepted all UN terms, whereas the Polisario front only accepted three out of the five recommendations contained in the UN Secretary-General's most recent report, ratified by virtue of the Security Council's Resolution 725 of 31 December 1991.

It is not Morocco that is responsible for the delay in the holding of a referendum but the Polisario, which knows that if it relaxes its iron grip on the population in the camps of Tindouf, south-west Algeria, it will get a 'foot vote' before that referendum is held, and will physically have no one to represent but itself.

Yours faithfully,

SAID SAFI

Press Attache

Moroccan Embassy

London, SW7