UN-LED TALKS ON WESTERN SAHARA SET TO CONCLUDE

UN-LED TALKS ON WESTERN SAHARA SET TO CONCLUDE
New York, Jun 19 2007 4:00PM
United Nations-sponsored talks on Western Sahara with representatives of the parties – Morocco and the Frente Polisario – along with neighbours Algeria and Mauritania – are set to conclude today outside New York, according to the world body's spokesperson.

"Representatives of the parties and the neighbouring countries met all day yesterday," spokesperson Michele Montas said, providing an update on the talks, which are being held at the invitation of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and facilitated by his Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Peter van Walsum.

At the outset of yesterday's meeting, the UN's top political official, Under-Secretary-General B. Lynn Pascoe, urged the parties to proceed in good faith, and expressed the Organization's commitment to assist in the negotiations.

Stressing that the stalemate was becoming intolerable, Mr. Pascoe said the dispute over Western Sahara must be brought to a conclusion through "a mutually agreed solution that will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara."

The invitations to this month's talks follow a request from the Security Council in its latest resolution on Western Sahara, adopted in late April, that Morocco and the Frente Polisario enter into negotiations without preconditions. The Secretary-General will report to the Council by 30 June with regard to the status and progress of negotiations.
2007-06-19 00:00:00.000

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