The United Nations envoy for Western Sahara announced today following three days of informal talks with the parties that he will embark on a regional tour starting in mid-May, including an extensive visit to the disputed territory.
In addition, the next round
of informal meetings will take place in Europe in June and in a place to be
determined in July, according to a statement issued by Christopher Ross, the
Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara.
The UN has been involved in
efforts towards a settlement in Western Sahara since 1976, when fighting broke
out between Morocco and the Frente Polisario after the Spanish colonial
administration of the territory ended.
Morocco has presented a plan
for autonomy while the position of the Frente Polisario is that the territory’s
final status should be decided in a referendum on self-determination that
includes independence as an option.
Discussions during the just-concluded talks, held outside New York
City, took place in an atmosphere of “serious engagement, frankness and mutual
respect,” said Mr. Ross.
The parties continued to deepen the discussion on their respective
proposals, he added, while noting that each party “continued to reject the
proposal of the other as the sole basis for future negotiations, while
reiterating their willingness to work together to reach a solution.”
They also deepened their discussion on demining, natural resources
and environment, without prejudice to the definitive status of the territory,
and welcomed the progress accomplished on these topics.
Delegations from the
neighbouring states, Algeria and Mauritania, were also present during certain
sessions of the three-day talks.Source: 13 March 2012, www.un.org
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