1. (C) Action Request. USUN is instructed to draw from the
talking points in paragraph two below and to introduce the
draft press statement in paragraph three below during the
February 4 UNSC consultations on the Western Sahara. USUN
should seek to keep the UNSC consultations and UNSC press
statement non-controversial to avoid prejudicing van Walsum's
travel to the region in February and the next round of talks
in mid-March. End Action



2. (U) Begin talking points:

-- We thank the Secretary General's Special Envoy for Western
Sahara Peter van Walsum for his briefing on the status of
negotiations between the Frente Polisario and Morocco on the
future of the Western Sahara.

-- The United States is encouraged that both sides engaged
each other more during the last round of talks than in
previous rounds, agreed to reconvene in Manhasset on March
11-13 for a fourth round of talks, and agreed to move the
next phase of negotiations into a more intensive and
substantive dialogue.

-- We encourage both parties to negotiate in good faith and
come to the next round of talks with a constructive and
flexible attitude.

-- We support the Special Envoy's intentions to travel to the
region for in-depth consultations with the parties in
preparation for the next round of talks.

end points



3. (U) Begin draft press statement:


The members of the Security Council welcome the report of the
Secretary General of 28 January 2008 (S/2008/45) on the

SIPDIS
status and progress of the negotiations on Western Sahara.

The members of the Security Council are pleased that the
parties and States of the region agreed to meet on 11-13
March in Manhasset, NY in accordance with resolutions 1783
(2007).

The members of the Security Council support the intention of
the Personal Envoy of the Secretary General for Western
Sahara to travel to the region for in-depth consultations in
preparation for the next round of talks.

The members of the Security Council welcome that the parties
reiterated their commitment to show political will and
negotiate in good faith and agreed on the need to move the
process into a more intensive and substantive phase of
negotiations under United Nations auspices.

The members of the Security Council reaffirm their support
for the efforts of the Secretary General and his Personal
Envoy to implement resolutions 1783 and 1754 (2007).
RICE