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Polisario demands decisive Security Council action to restore MINURSO mandate

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Washington (United States), April 30, 2016 (SPS) - Polisario Front called on Friday the Security Council to take a "decisive" action to allow the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to fully fulfill its mandate and to set a firm schedule for negotiations with Morocco.
The representative of the Polisario Front to the United Nations, Ahmed Boukhari, speaking to the media in New York, has called for another urgent and decisive action by the Security Council to quash Morocco's expulsion of MINURSO's civilian personnel and set a firm schedule for the final negotiations about a referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara.
Boukhari said the vote on the resolution extending MINURSO mandate by one year (with three abstentions and two votes against), has sent a strong signal according to which the situation in Western Sahara is unacceptable and cannot go on indefinitely.
"Today's vote sends a strong and clear message, namely that the status quo is unacceptable and Morocco will not be allowed to hamper UN mission in Western Sahara."
Boukhari added that Moroccan regime will fail to prevent Saharawi people from exerting their right to a referendum on self-determination and to decide on their own political future.
Most Security Council members, during the debate following the adoption of the resolution, criticized Morocco's challenging of United Nations Security Council's authority through retortion measures against the UN mission, the Saharawi official stressed. (SPS)
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