The Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations mission for a referendum in Western Sahara through the adoption of Resolution 2351. The decision was met positively by Rabat while the Polisario remained silent. Contrary to 2016, the Security Council unanimously adopted last night a new resolution (2351) on the Western Sahara extending by that the mandate of the United Nations mission for a referendum until the 30th of April 2018. The 15-member council «called on the parties to fully respect military agreements reached with MINURSO on the ceasefire and calls for full adherence to those accords» The instance equally invited the UN Secretary General «to explore the means to resolve fundamental questions about the ceasefire and related agreements raised throughout the recent crisis in the Guerguerat buffer strip». The UN institution demanded the two parties to resume negotiations and show good faith in a dialogue-oriented atmosphere. Washington commends Morocco's autonomy plan During yesterday's meeting, the US deputy representative to the UN, Michelle J. Sison emphasized that «the situation must change», as reported on the official website of the United Nations. Sison explained that the Council should look at the «big picture» in Western Sahara, insisting that peacekeeping missions must carry their duty without interference. The diplomat has also given her support to Antonio Guterres' plan that aims to revive the talks with «a new dynamic». Sison welcomed the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco in 2007 describing it as «serious, credible and realistic and that (it) represents a potential approach that could fulfill the expectations of the people of the Sahara to run their own affairs in peace and dignity». The congratulatory words of the US deputy representative contradict the stance that was adopted by the Obama administration. As for France, Francois Delattre, the permanent representative of the country to the UN, declared that : «the autonomy plan presented by Morocco is a serious and a credible solution». The French diplomat announced that the resolution (2351) adopted by the Security Council will «allow the concerned parties to look forward the promotion of a dynamic political process that is engaged to resolve the crisis and open a new chapter in the history of the region», reports MAP news agency. Polisario remains silent while Morocco applauds the decision Rabat rejoiced over the decision that the Security Council made yesterday, speaking to the media, Omar Hilal the permanent representative of Morocco to the United Nations confirmed it saying : «Morocco is pleased with the resolution of the Security Council and is thankful to America for having elaborated this text, negotiated and passed its adoption unanimously». «For the first time, the Council calls three times the neighboring countries to contribute in the political process, namely Algeria, for the settlement of this conflict», stated Hilal. Referring to Algeria, the ambassador claimed that the neighboring country «cannot continue to avoid neither its responsibility in the regional problematic, nor its incumbent role to reach a definitive solution to this issue with political action». For the record, Resolution 2351 pleaded for a census of the Tinduf population, a message essentially inviting Algeria to allow the UN to carry said operations. While Morocco reacted positively to the decision adopted last evening, the Polisario remained as silent on this matter as it was on the withdrawal of its armed militias from Guerguerat.
