Conflict in Western Sahara: Moscow advocates settlement based on UN resolutions

MOSCOW- Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Mikhail Bogdanov underlined Thursday, in Moscow, the need to increase the international community’s coordinated efforts to reach a fair resolution to the conflict in Western Sahara.

The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, who is the special representative of Russia’s President to the Middle East and Africa, received Thursday a delegation of the Polisario Front on visit to Moscow, led by Mhamed Khaddad, Sahrawi coordinator at the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).

During this meeting, the two sides exchanged views on the situation relating to the settlement of the conflict in Western Sahara, particularly in the light of the preparations for the examination, in April in the UN Security Council, of the issue of the renewal of MINURSO mission in Western Sahara, according to a communiqué of the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry.

On this occasion, the Russian side pointed out the “immutability of the Russian position, based on the need to reach a mutually acceptable political solution to this long-standing issue, on the basis of UN relevant resolutions,” added the document, underlining Moscow’s willingness to “continue working in this regard, in collaboration with all the stakeholders, notably with the partners of the Group of friendship with Western Sahara.”

During these talks, the two sides underscored the need to increase the efforts of the international community to reach a fair settlement, taking into consideration the fundamental interests of the peoples of the North African region and contributing to the improvement of the situation in the Maghreb.