Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 76: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he is taking to break the deadlock in Western Sahara, in which Prime Minister, Abdelkader Taleb Oumar, appealed to the international community to put pressure on Morocco to comply with international law, and where he recently described the situation as leading to the irreparable with all the predictable negative consequences for the whole Mediterranean region. [27326/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Ireland continues to support the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, and the continuing engagement of the United Nations in the search for a political solution in the territory based on the principle of self-determination. UN Secretary General Ban's Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Christopher Ross, has convened several rounds of informal talks most recently in July this year.

The major obstacle remains Morocco's refusal to allow a referendum in the territory which would include an option of independence for the people of the Western Sahara. This has been provided for in a number of UN peace plans, and it is difficult to see that there can be any genuine self-determination without such a referendum. The frustration of the Saharawi people at the impasse in the peace talks is understandable, particularly given the sweeping changes we have witnessed across the Arab world in recent months when their neighbours in the region have demanded a greater say in the governance of their countries. However, as we know only too well on this island, the only solution to the conflict is through dialogue and negotiation, not through any other course of action.

In his most recent report to the Security Council on the situation in Western Sahara, the UN Secretary General has suggested that the parties find a means to include respected representatives of a wide cross-section of the population of Western Sahara inside and outside the territory in the discussion of issues related to self-determination. SG Ban also urged both parties to identify and discuss governance issues as many of these issues can be discussed without reference to the final status of the territory. A resolution of some governance issues such as the structure of judiciary, the conduct of elections, or the design of education could help build trust between the two parties. I would encourage both parties to implement the Secretary General's recommendations as a means of making progress as well as to continue to implement practical confidence building measures, such as family exchange visits.

Ireland will continue its dialogue with both Morocco and the Polisario, through their representatives based here in Ireland, to encourage support for the UN Secretary General's good offices mission and the efforts of Personal Envoy Ross to achieve some measure of political progress and increased confidence between both sides.