Al Ayoune (occupied territories) November01,2012(SPS) United Nations Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara Christopher Ross on Wednesday evening arrived in Al Ayuune in his first visit to occupied territories of Western Sahara, as part of a tour to North Africa and Europe he started Saturday in Morocco.
Ross will hold on Thursday and Friday a series of talks particularly with the Sahrawi civil society at the headquarters of UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), before leaving Al Ayoune Saturday morning, said a Sahrawi source.
The detailed programme of Ross’ fourth regional tour has not been announced, the source added.
It is Ross’ first visit to Western Sahara since its appointment in January 2009 as a personal envoy of Ban Ki Moon.
In Rabat, Ross had a series of talks during the past five days, particularly with Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, Head of Government Abdelilah Benkirane, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Saad Dine El Otmani and Interior Minister Mohand Laenser.
After his meeting with the Moroccan King, Ross said that his visit "is part of the mission entrusted to me by UN Secretary General three years ago."
Ross will also visit team sites of the MINURSO deployed in the occupied part and liberated part of Western Sahara to monitor cease fire between Saharawi army and Moroccan army.
He will hold talks in the liberated city of Tifarity with Minister of Defense, Mohamed Lamin Bohali and Saharawi military officers before return to occupied city of AlAypune, confirmed a Saharawi source (SPS)
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