United Nations Security Council Resolution 1634
Encyclopedia
United Nations Security Council Resolution
1634, adopted unanimously on 28 October 2005, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in Western Sahara
, including resolutions 1495
(2003), 1541
(2004) and 1598
(2005), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara
(MINURSO) until 30 April 2006.
The resolution marked the 28th extension of MINURSO's mandate.
of the people of the territory. Both Morocco
, the Polisario Front
and regional states were urged to co-operate with the United Nations to end the political impasse and reach a solution to the long-running dispute.
The Council noted the release of 404 Moroccan prisoners of war
in accordance with international humanitarian law
while it, along with Morocco, had to co-operate with the International Committee of the Red Cross
to determine the fate of persons missing since the start of the conflict. The appointment of Peter van Walsum
as Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara was welcomed.
of MINURSO was extended and the Secretary-General Kofi Annan
instructed to report on the situation in Western Sahara and for the Personal Envoy to provide a briefing within three months on progress made in the territory.
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
1634, adopted unanimously on 28 October 2005, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in Western Sahara
Western Sahara
Western Sahara is a disputed territory in North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to . It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly...
, including resolutions 1495
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1495
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1495, adopted unanimously on July 31, 2003, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in Western Sahara, particularly Resolution 1429 , the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara ...
(2003), 1541
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1541
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1541, adopted unanimously on April 29, 2004, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in Western Sahara, particularly Resolution 1495 , the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara ...
(2004) and 1598
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1598
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1598, adopted unanimously on April 28, 2005, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in Western Sahara, including resolutions 1495 , 1541 and 1570 , the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in...
(2005), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara
United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara
MINURSO is the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara. The name is a French acronym for "Mission des Nations Unies pour l'Organisation d'un Référendum au Sahara Occidental" — United Nations Mission for the organization of a Referendum in Western Sahara.-Purpose of the mission:MINURSO...
(MINURSO) until 30 April 2006.
The resolution marked the 28th extension of MINURSO's mandate.
Observations
The Security Council reaffirmed the need for a durable and mutual solution to the Western Sahara problem, which would provide for the self-determinationSelf-determination
Self-determination is the principle in international law that nations have the right to freely choose their sovereignty and international political status with no external compulsion or external interference...
of the people of the territory. Both Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, the Polisario Front
Polisario Front
The POLISARIO, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro is a Sahrawi rebel national liberation movement working for the independence of Western Sahara from Morocco...
and regional states were urged to co-operate with the United Nations to end the political impasse and reach a solution to the long-running dispute.
The Council noted the release of 404 Moroccan prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
in accordance with international humanitarian law
International humanitarian law
International humanitarian law , often referred to as the laws of war, the laws and customs of war or the law of armed conflict, is the legal corpus that comprises "the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions, as well as subsequent treaties, case law, and customary international law." It...
while it, along with Morocco, had to co-operate with the International Committee of the Red Cross
International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross is a private humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. States parties to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005, have given the ICRC a mandate to protect the victims of international and...
to determine the fate of persons missing since the start of the conflict. The appointment of Peter van Walsum
Peter van Walsum
A. Peter van Walsum is a Dutch diplomat who served as United Nations Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Western Sahara...
as Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara was welcomed.
Acts
All parties were called upon to respect military agreements reached with MINURSO. Member States were called upon to consider contributing towards confidence-building measures to facilitate greater person-to-person contact, such as family visits. The mandateMandate (international law)
In international law, a mandate is a binding obligation issued from an inter-governmental organization like the United Nations to a country which is bound to follow the instructions of the organization....
of MINURSO was extended and the Secretary-General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
instructed to report on the situation in Western Sahara and for the Personal Envoy to provide a briefing within three months on progress made in the territory.
See also
- Baker PlanBaker PlanThe Baker Plan is a United Nations initiative to grant self-determination to Western Sahara...
- Free Zone (region)Free Zone (region)The Free Zone or Liberated Territories is a term used by the Polisario Front to describe the part of Western Sahara that lies to the east of the Moroccan Berm and west and north of the borders with Algeria and Mauritania, respectively...
- Legal status of Western Sahara
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1601 to 1700 (2005–2006)
- Moroccan WallMoroccan WallThe Berm of Western Sahara is an approximately 2,700 km-long defensive structure, mostly a sand wall , running through Western Sahara and the southeastern portion of Morocco...
- Sahrawi Arab Democratic RepublicSahrawi Arab Democratic RepublicThe Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a partially recognised state that claims sovereignty over the entire territory of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony. SADR was proclaimed by the Polisario Front on February 27, 1976, in Bir Lehlu, Western Sahara. The SADR government controls about...