US-Russia standoff leaves UN Western Sahara mission without extension
publishers 16articles 18first reported 30 Oct, 18:32 UTCdeveloping since 31 Oct · 2 editions
The UN Security Council failed Friday to extend its peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara after Russia and the United States blocked rival resolutions, leaving the operation’s mandate due to expire on October 31.
Russia vetoed a US-drafted resolution that received support from 11 of the council’s 15 members. The proposal would have renewed the mission for one year while making Morocco’s autonomy plan the sole basis for negotiations, reducing the mission’s military component and removing “referendum” from its name.
Russia said the proposal improperly favored one side and could prejudge questions of sovereignty. Moscow then proposed a one-year extension of the existing mandate without changing its terms. That draft failed to win the nine votes required for adoption and was vetoed by the United States.
The UN established the Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, known as MINURSO, in 1991 to monitor a ceasefire and prepare a vote on the territory’s future. The referendum has not taken place because of disputes over voter eligibility.
Morocco regards the former Spanish colony as part of its territory and supports autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty. The Algeria-backed Polisario Front seeks an independent Sahrawi state. Morocco’s royal palace welcomed the failure to renew the mission and called for UN personnel and equipment to leave, while Polisario’s UN representative welcomed Russia’s veto, saying the US plan would undermine Sahrawi self-determination.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 3 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 12 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 16
- Source articles
- 18
- Given to the writer
- 8, 3 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 12 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
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