UN Secretary General delays report on Sahara pending outcome of consultations
Morocco, Politics, 1/22/1999

UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, has delayed his report on the Sahara issue, which was slated to be submitted this Friday to the security council, until next week, pending the outcome of ongoing consultations, an informed source said.

The postponement was requested by UN assistant-secretary general for peace keeping operations, Bernard Miyet, during an unofficial session of the security council held Thursday, pending the outcome of talks between the world body and Morocco both in Rabat and at the UN head office in New York, MAP reported.

Earlier this week, special representative of the UN Secretary General for the Sahara, Charles Dunbar, chairman of the UN identification commission, Robin Kinloch, and representative of the High Commissioner for Refugees, Karim Fazilul, were in Rabat where they held talks with Moroccan home minister, Driss Basri.

Last December 17, a UN security council resolution extended until this January 31 the term of the MINURSO, French acronym for the UN mission supervising the referendum in the Sahara, to allow the continuation of talks and an agreement on various protocols submitted to the parties. The security council had asked the UN chief to submit a report on the issue on January 22 to assess progress made in the enforcement of the UN peace plan.

The UN peace plan, initiated in 1990 with a cease fire between Morocco and the Algerian-backed secessionist guerilla movement "Polisario," provides for the holding of a referendum that will determine whether the former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accord, would stand on its own or remain Moroccan territory.

Sources close to the Moroccan home department said talks between Basri and the UN executives covered the enforcement and implementation of the draft statute of the MINURSO.

Other items reviewed were related to the HCR establishment in Laayoun, largest city in the Sahara, the refugees repatriation draft protocol and procedures to implement some provisions of the identification package proposed by the UN secretary general.

According to the source, it was decided to carry on talks with the MINURSO and the HCR to study technical aspects and reach, the soonest, a time-table.

Previous Stories:
  Morocco renews adherence to UN peace plan in the Sahara   (1/20/1999)
  Sahrawi dignitaries renew allegiance to King of Morocco, warn against civil war   (1/20/1999)
  International envoy in Morocco for talks regarding the Sahara   (1/16/1999)

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