Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Vershinin discussed by telephone on Monday with the special representative of the president of Algeria for the Maghreb countries, Amar Belani, the settlement in Western Sahara, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
"An exchange of views on the situation in the sphere of Western Sahara settlement took place in the light of the discussion of the draft UN Security Council resolution on the next extension of the mandate of the UN referendum mission in Western Sahara," the statement said. - "Vershinin reiterated the principled position in favor of finding an early political solution to this long-standing problem on the basis of the relevant resolutions of the UN and its Security Council."
As indicated in the diplomatic office, the parties noted the counterproductivity of steps to "predetermine the final status of Western Sahara," stressed the need to continue the coordinated efforts of the world community aimed at unblocking this conflict, which is in the fundamental interests of the peoples of the Maghreb. "There was mutual support for the activities of the recently appointed personal envoy of the UN secretary-general for Western Sahara, Stephane de Mistura," the ministry stressed.
"There is a general attitude towards the further development of friendly Russian-Algerian relations, including the deepening of foreign policy coordination," the Russian MFA said.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS