Security Council members agree to extend mandate of UN mission in Sahara

The members of the United Nations Security Council on Thursday said they agreed to extend the mandate of the UN mission in the Sahara (MINURSO) to give the parties time to consider the proposal presented to them recently by the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, James Baker.

The current President of the Council, Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere of France, said in a press statement that members welcomed the Secretary-General's report of 16 January concerning the Sahara.

Members recalled the need to release without further delay all remaining prisoners of war in compliance with international humanitarian law and urged full compliance, as established under a Council resolution, Ambassador de La Sabliere said.

More than 1200 Moroccan nationals are still detained in the Algerian camps of Tindouf, where the Polisario separatists are based.

They also recalled that that same resolution called upon the parties "to continue to cooperate with the efforts of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to resolve the problem of the fate of all those unaccounted for since the beginning of the conflict," he added.

The mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) is set to expire on 31 January.

Council members are said to be divided on the duration of the projected extension (two or three months).