Security Council renews UN mission in Western Sahara for another year (3)

In his report, Ban also recommended that the Security Council reiterate its call that both parties to the dispute, Morocco and Frente Polisario, negotiate in good faith and without any preconditions, under the auspices of the secretary-general's personal envoy Christopher Ross.

After the adoption of the new resolution, Mohammed Loulichki, Morocco's UN ambassador, told reporters here that "the resolution refers to the existing mandate," and "despite attempts to enlarge this mandate, the Council did not allow this path."

"We are not against the protection and promotion of human rights," he said, "but we are against the use of human rights to deviate the efforts of the United Nations."

The ambassador is referring to reports which said that some members were concerned with human rights situation on the ground.

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