I

refer to the interview published by your newspaper on Jan. 24, 2009, "Moroccan ambassador says democracy in RI will endure".

Unfortunately, the journalists used the wrong terminology to describe our country, cause and movement.

The journalists twice wrote "Moroccan Sahara" but it is only Morocco that uses these words to describe Western Sahara. No other country or international organization has ever used this designation.

The UN uses Western Sahara to describe the territory which it considers as a Non-Self-Governing Territory that is going through a decolonization process.

The journalists also used the word "revolt" to describe the Saharawi people's struggle for independence. The conflict in Western Sahara is not a revolt but a liberation struggle that started in 1973 against Spanish colonialism and which has continued against Morocco since 1975.

Furthermore, the journalists described Polisario as a "rebel group". Polisario is not a rebel group but rather a liberation movement that was set up in 1973 to seek independence from Spain the then colonial power of Western Sahara. It is worth recalling that the International Court of Justice found in 1975 that Morocco never had any sovereignty over Western Sahara and that its people were entitled to the right of self-determination. The same opinion was reaffirmed by the UN Legal Adviser in 2002.

The UN General Assembly Resolution of 1979 (34/37) referred to the Polisario as the legitimate representative of the Saharawi people and Resolution (35/19) of 1980 described Morocco's presence in Western Sahara as an "occupation". Therefore, Polisario is a legitimate independence movement recognized internationally as such and not a rebel group. International media describe Polisario as an independence or liberation movement.

Finally, the journalists said that Polisario was "based in Algeria" when the Polisario army is based in Western Sahara proper. Polisario controls over a third of Western Sahara. The UN peacekeeping mission (MINURSO) is deployed in the liberated areas and is in regular contact with Polisario.