Rabat, Oct 28, 2012 (SPS) - The Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Western Sahara, Christopher Ross, continued his visit to Morocco, which started Saturday, as part of a tour in North Africa and Europe, which will continue until November 15.
Christopher Ross was scheduled to visit the region in mid-May before the Moroccan government decided unilaterally to withdraw its confidence from him, a few weeks after the publication of a UN report which had criticized the Moroccan authorities.
In his report submitted to the Security Council on April, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon denounced the obstacles posed by Morocco to the United Nations Mission for the referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), citing "obstacles" that prevent the latter to fulfill its mission and mandate of "credible" in the occupied Saharawi territories.
Following the Moroccan decision to unilaterally withdraw its confidence from Mr. Ross, the Secretary General of the UN has repeatedly reiterated its confidence and full support to his Personal Envoy to Western Sahara.
Spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr. Martin Nesirky had stated on October 17 that Ross “will focus on the exchange of views with stakeholders, key on how to accelerate progress towards the central objective set out in successive resolutions of the Security Council, in other words, a mutually acceptable political solution, which allows the determination of the people of Western Sahara.”
Ross must inform the Security Council of the outcome of the visit, he added.
Christopher Ross’s visit has been preceded by a visit by the Under-Secretary-General ... United Nations Peacekeeping Operations Mr. Hervé Ladsous, who went two weeks ago to occupied El Aaiun (Western Sahara) where he visited MINURSO headquarters.
Mr. Ladsous also visited the Saharawi refugee camps where he met at Chahid Al Hafed (Saharawi refugee camps) with the Saharawi President and Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz. (SPS)
090/089/TRA