WESTERN SAHARA: SECURITY COUNCIL RENEWS MINURSO

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000946 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC WI AG MO SUBJECT: WESTERN SAHARA: SECURITY COUNCIL RENEWS MINURSO MANDATE FOR SIX MONTHS REF: STATE 150711 ¶1. The Security Council October 31 adopted a resolution extending the MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) mandate for a further six months to April 30, 2008. The resolution takes note of the two rounds of negotiations held under the auspices of the Secretary-General during the mandate period and calls upon SIPDIS the parties "to continue to show political will and work in an atmosphere propitious for dialogue in order to engage in substantive negotiations." The resolution asks the Secretary-General to report on the status and progress of the SIPDIS negotiations by 31 January 2008. UNSCR 1783 (2007),based on a draft developed and co-sponsored by Friends of Western Sahara (U.S., UK, France, Russia and Spain),was adopted by a 15-0 vote. ¶2. Only South Africa delivered an explanation of vote (EOV). Speaking prior to the vote, South African PermRep Dumisani Kumalo expressed his disappointment in the continued absence of any reference to human rights violations in the draft resolution despite references to human rights problems in the Secretary-General's last three reports on the situation in SIPDIS Western Sahara. He said that the Council's silence on the issue of human rights in Western Sahara was especially regrettable in light of its very vocal stance on human rights violations in other parts of the world. Such a "double standard," he said, affected the credibility of the Council. Kumalo also complained about the "relentless attempts" by some Council members to tilt negotiations in favor of the Moroccan proposal by describing the Moroccan proposal as "a serious and credible effort to move the process forward towards resolution." He said that such language was nothing more than a unilateral attempt to prevent the Saharan people from exercising their right of self-determination. In fact, he said, there were two plans, one from Morocco and one from the Polisario Front and both were on the table. Nevertheless, he said, South Africa would vote for the resolution in the hope that support for MINURSO and for the negotiations would lead some day to self-determination and human rights for the people of Western Sahara. ¶3. Comment: The fifth preambular paragraph repeats verbatim the text of the fifth preambular paragraph of Resolution ¶1754. This textual repetition reflects a fundamental division among the Friends of Western Sahara and within the wider group of Council experts regarding the best way to advance the negotiating process. In the negotiations leading to the adoption of the text, France and the U.S. argued that this was best done by strengthening the Council's support for the Moroccan efforts and plan, while Russia, the UK and Spain (later joined by experts from the other 11 Council delegations) insisted to varying degrees that the needs of the negotiating process required the Council to give the Moroccan plan and the Polisario proposals equal weight. In the absence of consensus, the Friends fell back on the previously agreed language of Resolution 1754. End Comment. ¶4. Text of UNSCR 1783 (2007) follows: Begin Text: The Security Council, Recalling all its previous resolutions on Western Sahara, Reaffirming its strong support for the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy, SIPDIS Reaffirming its commitment to assist the parties to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara in the context of arrangements consistent with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, and noting the role and responsibilities of the parties in this respect, Reiterating 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 to achieve progress towards a political solution, 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 resolution; also taking note of the Polisario Front proposal presented on 10 April 2007 to the Secretary-General, Taking note of the two rounds of negotiations held under the auspices of the Secretary-General; welcoming the progress made by the parties to enter into direct negotiations, Taking note that the parties have agreed to continue the process of negotiations through United Nations sponsored talks, Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 19 October 2007 (S/2007/619), ¶1. Reaffirms the need for full respect of the military arrangements reached with MINURSO with regard to the ceasefire; ¶2. Calls upon the parties to continue to show political will and work in an atmosphere propitious for dialogue in order to engage in substantive negotiations, thus ensuring implementation of resolution 1754 and the success of negotiations; ¶3. Calls upon 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 developments of the past months, with a view to achieving a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara in the context of arrangements consistent with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, and noting the role and responsibilities of the parties in this respect; ¶4. Invites Member States to lend appropriate assistance to these talks; ¶5. Requests the Secretary-General to provide a report by 31 January 2008 on the status and progress of these negotiations under his auspices, and expresses its intention to meet to receive and discuss this report; ¶6. Requests the Secretary-General to provide a report on the situation in Western Sahara well before the end of the mandate period; ¶7. Calls on Member States to consider voluntary contributions to fund Confidence Building Measures that allow for increased contact between separated family members, especially family unification visits, as well as for other confidence building measures that may be agreed between the parties; ¶8. Decides to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 30 April 2008; ¶9. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take the necessary measures to ensure full compliance in MINURSO with the United Nations zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and to keep the Council informed, and urges troop-contributing countries to take appropriate preventive action including predeployment awareness training, and other action to ensure full accountability in cases of such conduct involving personnel; ¶10. Decides to remain seized of the matter. End Text Khalilzad