International envoy in Morocco for talks regarding the Sahara

The envoy of the United Nations' secretary general to the Sahara, Charles Dunbar, held talks yesterday with Moroccan officials -- the first since United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's tour to the African Horn area.

Sources stated that the talks focused on presenting explanations regarding the proposals raised by Annan to activate the plan for a peaceful settlement to the dispute over the Western Sahara through a referendum and that Dunbar received reactions from the concerned parties on details regarding resuming the operations to specify the identity of the three disputed tribal groups and ratify an agreement regarding deploying forces and preparing for the transitional period.

Talks also addressed implementing procedures that would allow the return of refugees sheltered in Tindouf camp in Algeria and those in northern Mauritania, the source said.