France declines to comment for the moment on UN report on Sahara

France said on Friday it does not wish for the moment to comment on the UN secretary general Kofi Annan submitted Wednesday to the security council, as debates in the Security council have not yet started.

"We confirm our support to the UN secretary general and his personal envoy," James Baker, said spokesman of the French foreign department, Bernard Valero.

In any case, he went on, France "supports the continuation of consultations conducted by James Baker to reach a negotiated solution that is acceptable by all parties."

Like the rest of the international community, France has concluded that the settlement plan has reached a deadlock, said the spokesman before voicing France's preference for a negotiated solution that is acceptable by all parties and conform to the principles recognized by the International community.

The UN secretary general outlines four options for the Sahara issue: either to implement the (initial) settlement plan, revise the framework agreement, partition the territory or end the UN mission in the territory. The report cites the readiness of Algeria and the Polisario to negotiate a partition of the southern provinces. Morocco has expressed total refusal to this option that harms its inalienable sovereignty over the territory.