ONU - UN

AUTODETERMINATION pour le PEUPLE SAHRAOUI - SELFDETERMINATION for the SAHARAWI PEOPLE - AUTODETERMINACION por el PUEBLO SAHARAUI

Juin- June - Junio 2007

NEGOCIATIONS maroco-sahraouies - Morocco-Saharawi NEGOCIATIONS - NEGOCIACIONES marrueco-saharaui

Press review - Revue de presse - Revista de prensa

• Talks carried out under UN auspices on Western Sahara are continuing for a second day near New York City. Representatives of the parties and the neighbouring countries met all day on Monday.
• The talks are being facilitated by the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Peter van Walsum. The discussions are scheduled to wrap up today.
• Asked about what the Secretary-General’s next report on Western Sahara would reflect, the Spokeswoman said she did not know what would be included in that report.
• On Western Sahara, Montas said, “we are at the beginning of a long process,” with difficult negotiations taking place. It was too early at this point to assess the talks.

• Talks carried out under UN auspices on Western Sahara began today outside of New York, with representatives of the parties and the neighbouring countries in attendance.
• The talks are being facilitated by the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Mr. Peter van Walsum.
• Attending today’s opening session on behalf of the Secretary-General was the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe.
• In his opening remarks, Pascoe said that today marked the beginning of a new phase in the search for a solution on Western Sahara.  He urged the parties to proceed in good faith and to establish an atmosphere of mutual trust, and expressed the firm commitment of the United Nations to assist in the negotiations.  He stressed that the stalemate is becoming intolerable and that the dispute over Western Sahara must be brought to a conclusion through a mutually agreed solution that will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
• "The Secretary General, the Security Council, and indeed the entire international community are deeply interested in events unfolding here today.  The time has come for a solution.  We wish you the best of luck, and reiterate our commitment to assist this process in every way possible," Pascoe said.
• In accordance with Security Council resolution 1754, the Secretary-General will report to the Security Council by 30 June 2007 with regard to the status and progress of negotiations.
• Asked about press coverage at the meeting, the Spokeswoman said that the meeting is closed to media.
• Asked why Pascoe, rather than van Walsum, had spoken at the outset, Montas noted that van Walsum was leading the negotiations.