Algiers, 24 July 2022 (SPS) - Personal envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, has canceled his trip to the occupied Sahrawi cities because Moroccan authorities wanted to impose on him "puppet" interlocutors, said Sunday the special envoy in charge of the Western Sahara issue and Maghreb countries, Amar Belani, calling the decision of the Italian-Swedish diplomat "honorable."
"The reasons are obvious and known. After having been very reluctant to organize this visit to the occupied Saharawi territories, the Moroccan authorities wanted to impose on De Mistura puppet interlocutors including settlers disguised as "elected" or vassals and satellite organizations, such as the famous CNDH (Moroccan Council for Human Rights, ed.)," said Belani, noting that the decision of De Mistura "honors him and will put pressure on Morocco.
De Mistura's decision to postpone this trip, "in such unacceptable and offensive conditions honors him and will inevitably put pressure on Morocco," said Belani.
"Pressure from some influential members of the Security Council should be able to be exerted at some point, including those who have managed "with difficulty to persuade" Morocco to finally accept, after five months, the appointment of De Mistura to this position, he added.
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