S/PV.3754 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them the report of the Secretary-General on the situation concerning Western Sahara, document S/1997/166. I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to document S/1997/208, which contains the text of a letter dated 10 March 1997 from the Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council. Members of the Council have received photocopies of a letter dated 19 March 1997 from the Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council, transmitting the text of a letter dated 11 March 1997 from the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Morocco addressed to the Secretary-General, which will be issued under the symbol S/1997/234. Following consultations among members of the “The Security Council welcomes the interim report of the Secretary-General of 27 February 1997 on the situation concerning Western Sahara (S/1997/166). It is disappointed at the lack of progress on the implementation of the plan for the settlement of the question of Western Sahara noted in the report. It concurs with the Secretary-General’s assessment that it is essential to maintain the ceasefire, a breach of which could seriously threaten regional stability, and that it is also essential to move the process forward. It believes that the presence of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) has been essential in helping the parties to maintain their commitment to the ceasefire. It looks forward to receiving the Secretary-General’s assessment of the future tasks and configuration of MINURSO. “The Security Council expresses its strong support for the Secretary-General’s efforts to overcome the current stalemate in implementing the settlement plan. In this context, it welcomes the appointment by the Secretary-General of a Personal Envoy to the region and urges the parties to cooperate fully with him.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/1997/16. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.