Debate resumed on motion by Ms Saffin:

That the House:

(1)

notes that the Government:

(a)

deeply regrets recent reports of violence in Western Sahara, and allegations of human rights violations with respect to Western Sahara;

(b)

urges parties to uphold international human rights standards, and to maintain their resolve to work peacefully through these issues in the United Nations led process currently underway;

(c)

strongly supports the efforts of the United Nations to find an enduring and mutually acceptable settlement in relation to Western Sahara;

(d)

welcomes progress made during the third round of informal talks here on 8-9 November in New York between Morocco and the Polisario Front, facilitated by the United Nations Secretary General’s Personal Envoy Christopher Ross, including agreement to further informal talks later in 2010;

(e)

calls on the parties to continue to work through these issues in the United Nations process underway; and

(f)

hopes the next round of informal talks, scheduled for December 2010, will make further progress; and

(2)

fully supports:

(a)

the efforts of the United Nations Secretary General, his Special Envoy, and the United Nations to find an enduring settlement to the Western Sahara issue; and

(b)

these concerns, calls, hopes and actions.

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