When Kofi Annan took office in 1997, he relied completely on USA to impose a solution to Western Sahara affair after a controversial battle on an uncertain referendum.

Kofi Annan thought that USA, the only then/actual dominant power in the world, could find a magical solution to the long-standing conflict; he did not took into account any principal, justness or history. The only thing he thought into is a solution under UN supervision whatsoever its kind; just or not is not important, not important too the winner or loser.

And to reach his goal, he designated J. BAKER as his extraordinary special envoy for Western Sahara. He gave to him a responsability further than the one he himself ( Kofi Annan) assumes on. And to make his power unlimited, he did not let him alone in the battle field; he upheld him with a great moral support; he reserved the office of the special representative in Western Sahara to American retired ambassadors. One comes after other successfully as the task is only for Americans.°

J. Baker dealt with the matter without previous imagination, he dealt only as a super-American who could resolve any problem by relying on his nation power; he obliged Morocco to discuss the details of the referendum face to face with Polisario. He put the referendum forward for a while, but finally he surrended to Morocco stubborness as his predecessors did afterward.

He avoided the referendum after got tired of Morocco refuses. He intended to impose pro-Moroccan solution on Polisario, but he failed after a long clash with the Sahrawi party. He tried to bring on another solution ( plan Baker), with dificulties to both parties, but Morocco refused to go on such one, and did what Polisario had done with the former one.. Newely, Baker discussed a secret solution to partition the territory between the two parties, but his efforts went with the wind. The veteran got tired of such conflict and announced his departure. He left the conflict as he found it when he came on as resolver. No progress had happened over seven years of nothing. The conflict still the same as that one Baker found in 1997; no winner no loser; no one surrendered to American's pressures; Morocco is a historical friend and the Sahrawis are powerfull people.

Baker went back to his office in Houston remembering his various victories in the world, and his bitter failure in a small country nammed Western Sahara.

Baker's departure means that

1) USA has no solution to impose on any one of both parties, and

2) it is ( the departure) a failure of Kofi Annan( UN) who rode the horse of USA to bring to an end the long-lived conflict.

Baker was the last envoy to W.S who has influence on Morocco, and from now on Morocco will not receive any other envoy, or will not allow to any UN' representative to land in Morocco airports.  Morocco feels now the taste of victory over UN, and will be - historically - one of those who participate actively in the destroying of UN organisation as Hitler did Nations League before.

SID HAMDI YAHDIH

16.06.04