Delegations criticise US draft on the Sahara at Security Council
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on TSA
Several UN Security Council delegations criticised the US draft resolution on the Sahara, saying it favoured Morocco’s position and risked prejudging the negotiations. China, Pakistan and Somalia notably defended the right to self-determination, according to TSA, after Russia’s 30 October veto.
At the UN Security Council, several delegations denounced the unbalanced nature of the US draft resolution on the Sahara, which was blocked by a Russian veto on Friday. Russia accused the text of openly favouring Morocco’s position, marginalising the Polisario Front and excluding proposals it had presented in 2007, TSA reports.
China said some provisions imposed an outcome on one of the parties without sufficiently balanced consultations. Pakistan described the right to self-determination as “sacrosanct and inviolable”, while Somalia said the draft risked prejudging the outcome of the negotiations. The three countries abstained in the vote.
Latvia and Denmark, which voted for the text, specified that their support did not amount to recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara or approval of autonomy as a predetermined outcome. Panama, the United Kingdom and Greece also stressed that self-determination had to remain at the heart of the settlement. Several delegations said reform of MINURSO, the UN mission in the Sahara, could not replace a political agreement.
These positions came after the Russian veto of the US resolution on the Sahara on 30 October. They also followed Russia’s explanation of the veto, published on 31 October.
