Date of UN talks on the Western Sahara announced

Delegations from the parties to the dispute Morocco and the Polisario and the neighbouring countries of Algeria and Mauritania will gather just outside New York for three days of discussions starting on 11 March,the UN announced yesterday.

The participants are expected to deepen their discussions on their respective proposals for a settlement to the dispute, and to also further discuss the ideas associated with governance put forward by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his latest report on the issue, according to a spokesperson for Mr. Ban.

He added that the meeting is being held at the invitation of the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Christopher Ross.

During the meeting the participants are also expected to review the status of confidence-building measures between the two sides and discuss the outcome of the last coordination meeting on the issue held by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

A French delegation of 150 for solidarity with the Saharawi people is visiting the Tindouf camps for four days APS reports.  Recent reports by Reuters have sighted demonstrations by young Saharawis against the situation in the camps and many are reported to be increasingly- frustrated with the UN backed  talks.

The visit to Morocco by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is an opportunity to renew support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Sahara, said Peter Pham, director of the Michael S. Ansari Africa Center at the Washington-based Atlantic Council.

The situation is also complicated by Al Qaeda and terrorist groups who became involved in the kidnapping of three European aid workers from Tindouf and the growing instability in the Sahel following the ousting of the Gaddafi regime in Libya.