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New York (ONU), 19/06/2007 (SPS) The new negotiations between
POLISARIO Front and Morocco, which started Monday, near New York,
''marked the beginning of a new phase in the search of a solution to
the conflict'' of Western Sahara, declared the Secretary-General was
the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe,
in his speech to open the negotiations.
The talks are being facilitated by the Personal Envoy of the UN
Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Mr. Peter van Walsum.
Attending the opening session on behalf of the Secretary-General was
the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe.
(American diplomat)
In his opening remarks, Pascoe said that today marked the beginning
of a new phase in the search for a solution on Western Sahara. He
urged the parties to proceed in good faith and to establish an
atmosphere of mutual trust, and expressed the firm commitment of the
United Nations to assist in the negotiations.
He stressed that the stalemate is becoming intolerable and that 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 Secretary General, the Security Council, and indeed the entire
international community are deeply interested in events unfolding
here today. The time has come for a solution. We wish you the best
of luck, and reiterate our commitment to assist this process in
every way possible," Pascoe said.
The negotiations that take place in private will be continued on
Tuesday in the presence of a Moroccan delegation chaired by the
Moroccan Minister for Interior, Chakib Benmoussa, an a delegation of
POLISARIO chaired by the President of the Saharawi Parliament,
Mahfoud Ali Beiba.
An Algerian and a Mauritania delegations are also invited as
observers to the negotiations, it should be recalled.
The Algerian delegation is chaired by the Secretary General of the
Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ramtane Lamamra, while the
Mauritanian delegation is chaired by Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar,
ex-Prime Minister in the Mauritanian government of transition.
The Algerian and Mauritanian delegations do not participate to the
negotiations and are only consulted for matters that are related to
their status as neighbouring countries, and can be consulted on such
matters as stipulated in the report of the UN Secretary General. (SPS)
020/090/700 190945 Jun 07 SPS |
