WESTERN SAHARA DECLARES OFFSHORE ZONES



President Abdelaziz calls on EU to cease illegal fishing in Western
Sahara's waters



The Government of Western Sahara declared an offshore exclusive
economic zone on 21 January 2009, making official its exclusive
rights to the oil, gas and fisheries resources offshore of the
territory of Western Sahara.



Formerly known as "Spanish Sahara", the Saharawi Arab Democratic
Republic (SADR) has been recognised officially by over 80 countries,
and is a full founding member of the African Union.



The 21 January declaration of a 200-nautical mile Exclusive Economic
Zone (EEZ) confirms the SADR's jurisdiction over its offshore
fisheries and mineral and petroleum seabed resources, as provided for
under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.



The EEZ also provides the legal framework for the SADR's offshore
licensing regime, which is currently receiving international bids for
offshore oil and gas exploration activities (see
http://www.sadroilandgas.com for further information).



After signing the new legislation, SADR President Mohamed Abdelaziz
said: "This is an exciting moment for the Sahrawi people. The EEZ
declaration is an expression and exercise by the Saharawi people of
their inalienable right to self-determination and permanent
sovereignty over their natural resources. It is also a further step
towards full statehood, and to taking control of our natural riches,
which have been plundered illegally for many years by Morocco and
other foreign interests".



With the passage of this legislation, the SADR has made clear its
views regarding unauthorised activities in the Western Saharan EEZ.
Abdelaziz said "This declaration bears out the illegality of all
unauthorised natural resource-related activities conducted by Morocco
and other foreign interests in Western Sahara's waters. We call on
all parties to revisit immediately any agreements with Morocco that
do not explicitly exclude the Western Saharan territory and its
offshore areas, including the EEZ".



Abdelaziz added: "In particular, we call on the European Union to
suspend immediately the 2005 EU-Morocco Fisheries Agreement in its
current form, and to prevent EU vessels from encroaching upon the
waters of Western Sahara. We are investigating various legal avenues
to ensure that this theft of our world class fisheries resources does
not continue".



The SADR EEZ borders those of Morocco, Mauritania and the Canary
Islands (Spain). The new legislation provides that where the SADR's
maritime entitlements overlap with those of its neighbours, the SADR
will negotiate and conclude agreements delimiting maritime boundaries
in accordance with international law.



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Source: http://www.wsrw.org/index.php?
parse_news=single&cat=105&art=1033