U.S. Ambassador to the UN: autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, the only possible solution
"In our view, some form of autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is the only realistic way forward to resolve this longstanding conflict," spokesman for the State department said.
"An independent Sahrawi state is not a realistic option," he insisted in reaction to the adoption, Wednesday, by the U.N. Security Council of resolution 1813 calling on the parties in the conflict to engage in substantive negotiations, and extending, for one year, the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Sahara (MINURSO).
"We urge the parties to focus future discussions on a mutually-acceptable autonomy," the official said reaffirming that his country "will support these efforts by broadening our own engagement with the parties over the coming weeks and months." He reiterated his country's stance as to the autonomy plan saying that: "Morocco has presented a proposal that we believe is serious and credible."
The proposal was also praised by France’s representative in the U.N. Jean-Maurice Ripert, who said on Wednesday the “autonomy plan is a basis for serious and constructive negotiations to reach a negotiated solution between the parties, in respect of the principle of self-determination.”
France also welcomed the UNSC 1813 resolution, warning against the persistence of the impasse, which, Ripert said, would weaken the search for a just, durable and mutually accepted solution, negotiated under the United Nations.
The Security Council’s resolution comes a week after Mr. Van Walsum said that an independent Western Sahara was not a realistic proposition.
"An independent Western Sahara is not an attainable goal is relevant today because it lies at the root of the current negotiation process," Mr. Walsum was quoted as telling the Council in a closed-door meeting.
In reaction to this statement, US Ambassador to the United Nations, Zalmay Khalilzad, told the press that Van Walsum's ideas were "worthy of serious consideration."
"He is a man who has spent a lot of time working on this issue and presented an assessment as well as frank suggestions which are worthy of serious consideration," he said.
Echoing him, the UK Permanent Representative to the UN, Sir John Sawers, welcomed Ban Ki-Moon's personal envoy's work, stressing that Morocco's autonomy proposal deserves "serious consideration".
"The Moroccan proposal deserves serious consideration and, now, it is upon the parties involved in the dispute to move forward," he told the press, noting that it incumbent on Van Walsum to "try to push, the best he can, the [negotiations] process."
The Sahara dispute opposes Morocco and the "Polisario" since 1976, a year after the former colonial power, Spain, ceded the territory to the kingdom, under the Madrid Accords.
State Department: We urge parties to focus their discussions on the autonomy regime
The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday endorsed the UN chief's call for realism and compromise in the negotiations underway between Morocco and the Algerian-backed separatist movement "Polisario" in a bid to put an end to the 32-old Sahara dispute.
The UN Security "endorses the (UN chief) report's recommendation that realism and spirit of compromise by the parties are essential to maintain the momentum of the process of negotiations," read the new resolution unanimously adopted yesterday by the 15-member countries of the UN Security Council.
Reaffirming its strong support for the efforts of Mr. Ban Ki-moon and his Personal Envoy for the Sahara, Peter Van Walsum, to implement resolutions 1754 (2007) and 1783 (2008), the Security Council took note of Morocco's proposal, presented on April 11 2007, to grant substantial autonomy to its Southern provinces, known as the Sahara, and welcomed once again the North African efforts "to move the process forward towards resolution."
Welcoming the commitment of the parties to continue the process of negotiations through United Nations-sponsored talks, and noting the Secretary-General's view that consolidation of the status quo is not an acceptable outcome of the current process of negotiations, the Security Council called upon the parties to "continue to show political will and work in an atmosphere propitious for dialogue in order to engage in substantive negotiations (...)."
Morocco and the Polisario have so far held four rounds of UN-led talks on the Sahara (June 18-19, August 10-11, January 7-9 and March 16-18). A fifth round is expected, but no date has been set so far.
The Security Council also decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 30 April 2009. The mission has been deployed in the region since 1991 following the UN-brokered ceasefire between Morocco and the Polisario separatists backed by neighboring Algeria.
The Security Council’s resolution comes a week after Mr. Van Walsum said that an independent Western Sahara was not a realistic proposition.
"An independent Western Sahara is not an attainable goal is relevant today because it lies at the root of the current negotiation process," Mr. Walsum was quoted as telling the Security Council in a closed-door meeting.
In reaction to this statement, US Ambassador to the United Nations, Zalmay Khalilzad, told the press that Van Walsum's ideas were "worthy of serious consideration."
"He is a man who has spent a lot of time working on this issue and presented an assessment as well as frank suggestions which are worthy of serious consideration," he said.
Echoing him, the UK Permanent Representative to the UN, Sir John Sawers, welcomed Ban Ki-Moon's personal envoy's work, stressing that Morocco's autonomy proposal deserves "serious consideration".
"The Moroccan proposal deserves serious consideration and, now, it is upon the parties involved in the dispute to move forward," he told the press, noting that it incumbent on Van Walsum to "try to push, the best he can, the [negotiations] process."
The Sahara dispute opposes Morocco and the "Polisario" since 1976, a year after the former colonial power, Spain, ceded the territory to the kingdom, under the Madrid Accords.
Mr. Walsum also called on the UNSC to recommend to the parties involved in the dispute to resume negotiations and take into account the political and international reality, and deplored that the parties have not so far been able to engage in real negotiations.
In a clear allusion to the direct involvement of Algeria in the Sahara dispute, Ban Ki-moon's Personal Envoy blamed the persistence of the impasse on the fact that several countries deem "quite comfortable" the status-quo as it "spares them the responsibility of making difficult choices, such as taking Algeria's or Morocco’s side."