UN envoy urges parties to move swiftly into serious talks on West Sahara - NZweek

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 12 — The UN secretary-general’s personal envoy for Western Sahara, Christopher Ross, on Monday called on all the parties concerned to enter into “real dialogue and compromise to find a solution” to the final status of West Sahara, a UN spokesman told reporters here.

Ross, who is on a visit to North Africa and Europe from Oct. 27 to Nov. 15, made the appeal after he met in Madrid on Monday with the foreign minister of Spain, Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo, Nesirky said at a daily news briefing here.

“In a statement, the personal envoy said that the conflict over the final status of Western Sahara has gone on for far too long,” Nesirky said. “He said that it would be a serious miscalculation to believe that the status quo will last, since it is now threatened by the rise of extremist, terrorist, and criminal elements in the Sahel region.”

“Ross said the conflict can be resolved if there is a will to engage in real dialogue and compromise to find a solution that is honorable for all,” the spokesman said. “He urged the parties to move swiftly into serious negotiations, and he asked key members of the international community to use their influence to encourage the parties to do so.”

After Madrid, Ross plans to visit the capitals of the other members of the Group of Friends, as well as others, for consultations in the near future, Nesirky said. “He will fly to Paris on Tuesday and will visit Washington, London and Moscow soon. “

On Oct. 17, Nesirky, while announcing Ross’ tour plan, said that “His focus during this trip will be to exchange views with key interlocutors on how to accelerate progress toward the central objective set forth in successive Security Council resolutions, in other words, a mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. “

Ross, the former U.S. ambassador to Algeria and Syria, was appointed on Jan. 7, 2009 to be the secretary-general’s personal envoy to Western Sahara. Before this appointment, he was a special adviser for the Middle East and North Africa at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations.

The UN has been involved in efforts to find a settlement in Western Sahara since 1976, when fighting broke out between Morocco and the Frente Polisario after the Spanish colonial administration of the territory ended.

Morocco has presented a plan for autonomy, but the Frente Polisario believes the territory’s final status should be decided in a referendum on self-determination that includes independence as an option.