UN staffers exit after Morocco鈥檚 demand
Print Edition
DOZENS of United Nations international staffers pulled out of their Western Sahara mission yesterday after Morocco demanded they leave because of remarks by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon about the disputed territory.
Last week Morocco ordered the UN to withdraw 84 international civilian personnel from its peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara, MINURSO. It said this was a response to Ban’s “unacceptable” remarks.
Rabat accused Ban earlier this month of no longer being neutral in the Western Sahara dispute when he used the word “occupation” to describe its annexation of the region in 1975, when Morocco took over from colonial power Spain.
The UN said it had three days to remove the 84 civilian staff from Western Sahara.
The controversy over Ban’s comments is Morocco’s worst dispute with the UN since 1991, when the UN brokered a ceasefire to end a war over the Western Sahara and established the mission.
MAP state news agency said a “significant number” of UN staffers had left Laayoune airport on UN aircraft and commercial flights to Las Palmas in Spain.
A Moroccan official source said 73 UN staffers had left, 10 would leave in the afternoon and one would remain for now. The source added the 84th staff member would stay for now because she is pregnant.
The mission now has 242 military personnel, 84 international civilian staff, 157 national staff and 12 volunteers.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
