Ban Ki-moon calls for "true negotiations" for self-determination of Saharawi people

NEW YORK, Secretary General of the United Nations Ban

Ki-Moon called on Wednesday night in New York for true negotiations between the Polisario Front and Morocco to be launched in the coming months and leading to self-determination of the Saharawi people.
I urges all parties in the region and within the wider international community to take advantage of intensive efforts (led) by my Personal Envoy (Christopher Ross) to facilitate the launch of real negotiations in the coming months," stressed Ban Ki Moon.
He said under my leadership, my Special Envoy Christopher Ross has intensified his efforts to facilitate negotiations between the two parties (Morocco-Polisario Front) without preconditions and in good faith to reach a mutually acceptable political solution, allowing the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara."
While stressing that the final status of Western Sahara has been the subject of a process of negotiations under its auspices and in accordance with the resolutions of the Security Council, Ban Ki-moon deplored as such failure of the negotiations in 2007.
I regret that the proposals of 2007 did not paved the way for genuine negotiations for which the Security Council and I called several times," he reminded.
Referring to the human suffering caused by the conflict in Western Sahara, the Secretary General of the United Nations noted that the situation in northwest Africa is becoming more alarming.
According to him, it is necessary to end the conflict in order to enable the peoples of the region to address common challenges and reach their full potential.

(SPS)

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