The Council, which decided to extend for one year the MINURSO mandate, called on the "parties to continue negotiations under the auspices of the Secretary General without preconditions and in good faith, taking into account the efforts made since 2006 and the subsequent developments with a view to achieving a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution."

   In its new resolution that was unanimously adopted, the fifteen members of the Council hailed that the parties have agreed with the SG Personal Envoy, Christopher Ross to hold "small and informal" talks in preparation for a fifth round of negotiations.

   The Council recalled its endorsement of the previous report's recommendation that "realism and a spirit of compromise by the parties are essential to achieve progress in negotiations."   

   It called on "the parties to continue to show political will and work in an atmosphere propitious for dialogue in order to enter into a more intensive and substantive phase of negotiations thus ensuring the implementation of its resolutions 1754 (2007), 1783 (2007) and 1813 (2008) and the success of negotiations", affirming its "strong support" for the commitment of the Secretary General and his Special Envoy towards a solution to the issue of the Sahara in this context.

   "Taking note of the Moroccan proposal presented on 11 April 2007 to the Secretary General and welcoming serious and credible Moroccan efforts to move the process forward towards a settlement," the resolution reiterated its call "upon the parties and States of the region to continue to cooperate fully with the United Nations and with each other to end the current impasse and achieve progress towards a political solution."

   The Council members who also took note of the four rounds of negotiations held in Manhasset (outskirts of New York), “welcomed the “commitment of the parties to continue the process of negotiations through United-Nations-sponsored talks.”

   In his latest report on the Sahara, The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon deemed necessary a "careful preparation" of an upcoming series of talks.
   Since June 2007, delegations representing Morocco, the polisario, Algeria, and Mauritania took part in Manhasset in four rounds of negotiations.

The negotiation process was launched thanks to Morocco’s proposal to grant substantial autonomy to the Sahara, which was hailed, by the Security Council and the international community as the culmination of a serious and credible effort to put an end to the Sahara issue.

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