The United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, has called on Morocco to partially devolve authority in Western Sahara in an attempt to ease the dispute over the territory, reported the BBC.online.
In a report, which coincided with UN-sponsored talks on the region, Annan expressed his regret that there had been no progress between Morocco and the separatist Polisario Front, said the BBC.
He said that if Morocco was not prepared to offer some devolution, then the UN should press ahead with plans to hold a referendum on Western Sahara's status. The referendum, first scheduled for 1992, has been delayed by disputes over who is eligible to vote with Polisario, accusing Morocco of registering voters who are not native to the region, added the BBC.
The Polasario Front is seeking independence for the former Spanish colony which was annexed by Morocco in 1975, said the BBC – Albawaba.com
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