Security Council resolution 1920 (2010) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO)]
Symbol: S/RES/1920(2010)
Date: 2010-04-30
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/65 [45] UN MISSION FOR THE REFERENDUM IN WESTERN SAHARA
S/65 [44] WESTERN SAHARA QUESTION
Subjects: UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara|UN. Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES|NEGOTIATION|WESTERN SAHARA|WESTERN SAHARA QUESTION|SELF-DETERMINATION OF PEOPLES|CEASEFIRES|BUDGET CONTRIBUTIONS|FAMILY VISITS|SEX CRIMES|TROOP-CONTRIBUTING STATES|TRAINING PROGRAMMES|PLEBISCITES
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: AUSTRIA
vote: yes
country: BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
vote: yes
country: BRAZIL
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GABON
vote: yes
country: JAPAN
vote: yes
country: LEBANON
vote: yes
country: MEXICO
vote: yes
country: NIGERIA
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: TURKEY
vote: yes
country: UGANDA
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                     S/RES/1920 (2010)
               Security Council                                                 Distr.: General
                                                                                30 April 2010




               Resolution 1920 (2010)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 6305th meeting, on
               30 April 2010

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling and reaffirming all its previous resolutions on Western Sahara,
                    Reaffirming its strong support for the efforts of the Secretary-General and his
               Personal Envoy to implement resolutions 1754 (2007), 1783 (2007), 1813 (2008),
               and 1871 (2009),
                     Reaffirming its commitment to assist the parties to achieve a just, lasting, and
               mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self-determination
               of the people of Western Sahara in the context of arrangements consistent with the
               principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, and noting the role and
               responsibilities of the parties in this respect,
                     Reiterating its call upon the parties and States of the region to cooperate more
               fully with the United Nations and with each other to end the current impasse and to
               achieve progress towards a political solution,
                    Taking note of the Moroccan proposal presented on 11 April 2007 to the
               Secretary-General and welcoming serious and credible Moroccan efforts to move
               the process forward towards resolution; also taking note of the Polisario Front
               proposal presented 10 April 2007 to the Secretary-General,
                     Inviting in this context the parties to demonstrate further political will towards
               a solution,
                     Taking note of the four rounds of negotiations held under the auspices of the
               Secretary-General, and two rounds of informal talks held in Dürnstein (Austria) and
               Westchester County (United States) and welcoming the progress made by the parties
               to enter into direct negotiations,
                     Stressing the importance of making progress on the human dimension of the
               conflict as a means to promote transparency and mutual confidence through
               constructive dialogue and humanitarian confidence-building measures, and noting
               the need for all parties to adhere to their obligations, taking into account the roles
               and responsibilities of the UN system and the relevant paragraphs of the UN
               Secretary-General’s report,


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                     Welcoming in this context the agreement of the parties expressed in the
               Communiqué of the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara of
               18 March 2008 and looking forward to the inauguration of family visits by land, and
               the resumption of the existing programme by air, and encouraging the parties to
               cooperate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in
               implementing their agreement,
                    Welcoming the commitment of the parties to continue the process of
               negotiations through the United Nations-sponsored talks,
                     Recognizing that the consolidation of the status quo is not acceptable in the
               long term, and noting further that progress in the negotiations is essential in order to
               improve the quality of life of the people of Western Sahara in all its aspects,
                    Affirming support for the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western
               Sahara Ambassador Christopher Ross, and his work in facilitating negotiations
               between the parties and also welcoming his recent visit to the region and ongoing
               consultations with the parties and neighbouring states,
                   Welcoming the appointment of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara and Head of MINURSO Hany Abdel-Aziz,
                    Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 6 April 2010
               (S/2010/175),
                    1.    Reaffirms the need for full respect of the military agreements reached
               with the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara
               (MINURSO) with regard to the ceasefire and calls on the parties to adhere fully to
               those agreements;
                     2.   Welcomes the parties’ commitment to continue the process of holding
               small, informal talks in preparation for a fifth round of negotiations, and recalls its
               endorsement of the recommendation in the report of 14 April 2008 (S/2008/251) that
               realism and a spirit of compromise by the parties are essential to achieve progress in
               negotiations;
                    3.    Calls upon the parties to continue to show political will and work in an
               atmosphere propitious for dialogue in order to enter into a more intensive and
               substantive phase of negotiations, thus ensuring implementation of resolutions 1754
               (2007), 1783 (2007), 1813 (2008), and 1871 (2009), and the success of negotiations;
               and affirms its strong support for the commitment of the Secretary-General and his
               Personal Envoy towards a solution to the question of Western Sahara in this context;
                     4.    Calls upon the parties to continue negotiations under the auspices of the
               Secretary-General without preconditions and in good faith, taking into account the
               efforts made since 2006 and subsequent developments, with a view to achieving a
               just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the
               self-determination of the people of Western Sahara in the context of arrangements
               consistent with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, and
               noting the role and responsibilities of the parties in this respect;
                    5.    Invites Member States to lend appropriate assistance to these talks;
                    6.    Requests the Secretary-General to keep the Security Council informed on
               a regular basis on the status and progress of these negotiations under his auspices
               and express its intention to meet to receive and discuss his report;


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                7.   Requests the Secretary-General to provide a report on the situation in
           Western Sahara well before the end of the mandate period;
                8.   Urges Member States to provide voluntary contributions to fund
           confidence-building measures that allow for increased contact between separated
           family members, especially family visits, as well as for other confidence-building
           measures that may be agreed upon between parties;
                9.    Decides to extend the existing mandate of MINURSO until 30 April 2011;
                 10. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take the necessary
           measures to ensure full compliance in MINURSO with the United Nations zerotolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and to keep the Council informed,
           and urges troop-contributing countries to take appropriate preventive action
           including pre-deployment awareness training, and other action to ensure full
           accountability in cases of such conduct involving their personnel;
                11.   Decides to remain seized of the matter.




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