New York (UN), August 22, 2015 (SPS) -The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for the umpteenth time for a rapid settlement of the Western Sahara conflict, in a report on the development of the Saharawi question submitted to the General Assembly which should begin its work on 15 September.
The UN SG's call was launched "because of the volatility of the dangers in the area, proximity to extremist and terrorist groups, the growing frustration of young people and the suffering of tens of thousands of refugees who are beginning to lose faith in the political solution," explained the Secretary General, in the report submitted Thursday to the General Assembly, which should begin its work on September 15 and focus on the development of the question of Western Sahara from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015.
In the most important conclusions regarding the Saharawi question, the Fourth Committee of the General Assembly (Special Politics and Decolonization issues) and the Special Committee on the Situation on the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, reaffirmed its position regarding the Western Sahara as it is a non-autonomous territory.
The same Committee, in its report described "the facts of the obstruction of Morocco to the SRSG Bolduc deployment and re-engagement of the Personal Envoy Ross, including assurances of the SG in Morocco on the phone.
The report includes "the description of facts about the decision of the POLISARIO to stamp passports of observers entering the liberated territories in response to the Moroccan practice in the occupied territories. The question is reported in a way that shows that Morocco was in violation of UN peacekeeping practices for a long time."
Besides, the report states the report of "the planned visit of SG in the region at the end of 2015, including the wish of preference of SG to see the two parties around table before the visit. This is the first official mention to the Member States on this visit to the region. This is indeed a positive sign." (SPS)
062/090/700