UN Mission mandate extended by six months

The Security Council has extended the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (French acronym - MINURSO) for six months ending on 31 January 2003, the Council reported on Tuesday. The Council, which met in New York, agreed to extend MINURSO's mandate that was due to end on Tuesday, to give more time to allow the search for a peaceful solution to the 27-year old conflict between Morocco and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia-el-Hamra and Rio de Oro (Polisario Front). The Council called on both parties to fully cooperate with efforts to resolve their longstanding dispute, the UN reported. It urged them to cooperate with humanitarian organisations, including UNHCR, WFP and the International Community of Red Cross, which continue to provide basic needs to refugees and thousands of prisoners of war. The Red Cross estimates that 1,260 Moroccans are still held captive by Polisario. The Council appealed to the international community to provide generous funding to UNHCR and WFP to continue work in the area. Armed conflict broke out in 1975 when Morocco annexed Western Sahara, after Spain withdrew from the northwestern African territory. In 1991, both sides signed a ceasefire and allowed the deployment of MINURSO. MINURSO was mandated to keep the peace and organise a referendum to determine whether Western Sahara should be independent or integrated with Morocco, UN says. It has been able to maintain the peace but has not been able to hold the referendum as Morocco and Polisario continuously disagreed on who should be eligible to vote. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, earlier this year proposed ending the mission as one of four options to resolving the conflict. The other options were the implementation of a 1998 settlement plan which included the referendum, a revision of the draft agreement, and the division of the territory. Morocco has said that it would not accept the division of the territory and Polisario said that it would not accept the framework agreement as it currently stands. See related IRIN items: WESTERN SAHARA: Annan calls for Security Council decision