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The United Nations Security Council is holding a meeting on Wednesday, October 16, on the Western Sahara conflict. During this meeting, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara and Head of MINURSO Colin Stewart will be briefing the attendees on the situation in the area.
Ahead of this meeting, the Polisario Front sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. In a menacing tone, the separatist movement’s head Brahim Ghali rejected the «conditions» imposed by Morocco when it comes to the appointment of a new personal envoy to Western Sahara.
The Front «refuses to see that the peace process carried under the auspices of the United Nations, including the appointment of a new Secretary-General’s personal envoy, is being influenced by Morocco’s preconditions», the Polisario wrote in a letter published, Tuesday, by SPS.
The Polisario and the appointment of a new personal envoy
Ghali said that the Polisario «categorically rejects the conditions imposed by Morocco for the appointment» of another UN mediator. He also said that the Polisario «won’t engage in any political process if these preconditions are carried».
The letter sent to Guterres shows that the Front has changed its position, expressed in a former letter sent by Brahim Ghali. The Front’s former letter was sent on September 12 to the permanent representative of Russia in the United Nations, Ambassador Vassilly Nebenzia, whose country presided last month the Security Council.
«Three months have passed since the sudden resignation of Horst Köhler (…) The delay in appointing a new personal envoy has blocked the political process».
Ghali also told the Russian diplomat that his movement is not interested in stopping the «political process», arguing that he «presented great concessions and sacrifices to help the personal envoy to succeed in his mission».
For the record, Horst Kohler resigned in May from his role as the UN Secretary-General's personal envoy due to health reasons. Since then, Antonio Guterres has been looking for a candidate that would have the support of all parties involved in the conflict, to replace the former German president.
The issue was indeed addressed by the Portuguese diplomat in his separate talks with Foreign ministers of Morocco and Algeria on the sidelines of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly.
