Press release

High expectations for the new Norwegian government regarding Western Sahara

The Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara

Oslo, September 27, 2005

When the three parties about to form the new Norwegian government
yesterday gathered for negotiations in Oslo, they had already been
presented a lobby document regarding the Western Sahara. The Norwegian
Support Committee for Western Sahara (NSCWS) asks in a letter to the
negotiating delegations from each of the three parties that the coming
government step up the efforts to solve the Western Sahara conflict.

NSCWS recommends, through six points, a more vigorous Norwegian policy
in Western Sahara, based on United Nations' efforts and International
Law. It recommends that the new "red-green" government should give a
more active support to the Saharawis' rights under occupation and in
exile, including the Saharawis' right to self-determination, like
the UN demands. The Norwegian Support Committee also requests Norway to
recognize the Western Sahara as an independent republic, following the
example of the African Union and South Africa. Norway must also
increase the humanitarian aid to the 165.000 refugees living in
refugee camps in Algeria.

"We expect that a government consisting of parties with such a strong
focus on international solidarity tells the occupying power Morocco
that enough is enough. Western Sahara is the last
colony in Africa, according to the UN, with oppression and social
structures resembling Apartheid. Norway can no longer accept this,
eleven years after
Apartheid was abolished at the other end of Africa", says Ronny
Hansen, chairman of the Norwegian Support Committee for Western
Sahara.

The Norwegian Support Committee also requests that Norway stop all
imports of products from Western Sahara, as well as banning Norwegian
investments in the country as long as it's occupied. That must also be
be carefully explained to the embassy in Rabat. Norwegian commercial
interests are very much
present in the occupied area to this day.

"Norway is the world's leading importer of fish oil from Western
Sahara, partly as s result of strong support from the Norwegian
embassy in Morocco. The Norwegian company Yara has bought illegally
traded phosphates from Western Sahara, and refuse to rule out the
possibility of continued trade. A passive attitude by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs vis-à-vis Norwegian commercial interests in the
occupied Western Sahara means that the Norwegian government and
companies profit from and lend legitimacy to the illegal occupation",
Hansen says.

A 1991 agreement between Morocco and the liberation movement Front
Polisario regarding a referendum under the auspices of the UN and the
African Union has been systematically obstructed by Morocco.

"Defending Western Sahara is also defending Norway's global interests
through the UN. Morocco has since 1975 refused to comply with the
demands from the UN and the African Union to end the occupation of the
neighbouring country. If the new Norwegian government would fail to
defend Western Sahara and the UN's credibility as conflict solver,
Norway would tacitly accept international unilateralism and the
undermining of International Law", Hansen concludes.

The Norwegian Parliamentary elections were held September 12th. The
elections ended with a victory for a coalition consisting of the
Labour Party, the Socialist Left Party and the Center Party. The
negotiations for a government platform formally started yesterday
between the parties, and are expected to take two weeks. The change of
government is expected to take place mid-October.

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Contact:
- Ronny Hansen, Chairman, Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara,
Tel: +47 92 80 86 07, wsahara(at)online.no

- Rolf Wermundsen, board member, Norwegian Support Committee for
Western Sahara,
Tel: +47 93 04 19 83, rolfw(at)netcom.no