New York(United Nations)Nov29,2012(SPS) the United Nations Secretary General’s personal envoy for western Sahara, Christopher Ross on Wednesday has warned that the situation in western Sahara “remains very worrisome and should remain on the radar of international community,” in a statement to press after his briefing the security council on latest developments of Western Sahara conflict.
I have just briefed the council on latest developments in the search for a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution of the western Sahara conflict which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
“The situation remains very worrisome and should remain on the radar of international community, the conflict over the final status of western Sahara has gone far for too long,” he said adding “this conflict could if left to faster feed growing frustration and spark renewed violence and hostilities that would be tragic for the peoples of the region,”
Ross told the press that he briefed the Security Council on his visit to the region in the search for a “just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution of the western Sahara conflict which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara”
The personal envoy insisted that the conflict “must be resolved” explaining that he believes that “it can be resolved if there is a will to engage in real dialogue and compromise.”
Ambassador Ross pointed out that since 2009 nine rounds of informal talks had held between the Polisario Front and Morocco without any progress in solving the conflict.
He explained his next strategy saying that Rather than going directly back into another round, therefore ” I intend to focus first on additional consultations with key international stakeholders and then to engage in a period of shuttle diplomacy with the parties and neighboring states in context of one or more visits to the region including Western Sahara”
Ross expressed hope that this new strategy “will lay the groundwork for effective resumption of face to face meetings of the parties.”(SPS)
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