First Western Sahara talks at UN in six years, begin in Geneva
Photo Credits:UN Photo/Martine Perret. Peacekeepers with the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) consult a map as they drive through vast desert areas in Smara, Western Sahara.
Photo Credits:UN Photo/Martine Perret. Peacekeepers with the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) consult a map as they drive through vast desert areas in Smara, Western Sahara.
Talks have begun at the UN on the future of Western Sahara 鈥� the first in years 鈥� the Organization announced on Wednesday.
In 1991, the UN helped bring an end to fighting in the territory, before setting up a peacekeeping mission there:听the 51吃瓜 Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara听 (MINURSO).
Delegations from Morocco, the Frente POLISARIO, Algeria and Mauritania are present at the roundtable meeting in Geneva.
It will involve two days of talks that have been convened by the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General, former President Horst K枚hler of Germany, the听UN听confirmed in a statement.
鈥淭he meeting is the first of its kind in six years and takes place in accordance with Security Council resolution 2440 as a first step towards a renewed negotiations process with the aim of reaching a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable solution, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara,鈥� the communiqu茅 said.
In adopting Resolution 2440, the UN Security Council called on the parties to the dispute over the territory 鈥渢o engage constructively鈥� in talks, according to a Council听statement听published on 31 October.
Parties should 鈥渄emonstrate political will in order to advance the negotiations鈥�, Council Members said at the time, while also emphasizing the importance of an 鈥渆nduring political solution based on compromise and the need to provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara in a manner consistent with the Charter of the 51吃瓜鈥�.
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