Spokesman of the UN Secretary-General Martin Niserky termed as an "important step" the holding of the informal talks on the Sahara, which started Wednesday in the outskirts of New York, in preparation of intense and substantial negotiations.

The United States welcomed the announcement of the second set of informal talks on the Sahara, due February 10-11 in the city of Armonk, New York outskirts, US Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Philip J. Crowley said on Tuesday.

Morocco's initiative to grant substantial autonomy to its southern provinces, the Sahara, is the "one and only" solution to settle the Sahara conflict, Belgian MP Alain Hutchinson said on Thursday.

The settlement of the Sahara issue will serve the interests of all the countries and peoples of the region, US ambassador to Morocco Samuel Kaplan said.

The second set of informal talks on the Sahara issue will be held on February 10-11 in the outskirts of New York, The United Nations said on Tuesday.