Annan accepts with regret resignation of special representative in Sahara

Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan has "accepted with regret" the resignation of his special representative in the Sahara, Charles F. Dunbar, a UN spokesman said.

The UN spokesman explained that when Dunbar was appointed to the post in December 1997, it was agreed that his term would last one year as the referendum in the Sahara was scheduled for December 1998. since the referendum was delayed, Dunbar requested that his resignation take effect on March 31, 1999, at the expiration of his contract with the UN, so that he can resume his job and join his family, the spokesman went on.

"The secretary general has accepted with regret Dunbar's resignation," he said praising Dunbar's considerable efforts for peace during his term as head of the MINURSO, U.N. mission supervising the holding of a referendum in the Sahara.

Dunbar's resignation takes place as the world body is making efforts to hold a referendum in which populations of western Sahara, a former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accords, would say whether the territory would remain within Morocco or stand on its own as claimed by the Polisario, an Algeria-backed secessionist guerrilla movement.

Initially scheduled in 1991, when a cease-fire was proclaimed in the region, the voting has been repeatedly delayed as the Polisario is erecting obstacles to shrink the number of people entitled to vote.

Annan is expected to submit this Monday a report on the Sahara issue to the Security council.