In an interview with the Spanish daily "El Pais", published on Friday, Mr. van Walsum called upon "Spaniards who are really concerned about the well-being of Sahrawis to wonder if they are acting properly by encouraging Polisario to insist on total independence."

    Calling for reaching a "consensual solution based on the reality on the ground," Mr. van Walsum underlined that "the political reality on the ground is in the hands of Morocco."

    Since June 2007, delegations from Morocco, Polisario, Algeria and Mauritania have taken part in Manhasset, near New York, in four rounds of negotiations under the aegis of the United Nations, in the presence of Mr. van Walsum in his capacity as facilitator of the negotiations.

    In a report before the Security Council on April 15, Mr. van Walsum has dismissed the option of “independence” advocated by Polisario and Algiers, calling it “unrealistic” and “unfeasible.”

Source: MAP
News and events on Western Sahara issue / Corcas