Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s meeting with the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara Horst Koehler
On April 10, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov received Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Western Sahara Horst Koehler, who arrived in Moscow on a working visit.
During the meeting, it was stressed that there are no alternatives to a political settlement of the Western Sahara problem in line with corresponding UN Security Council resolutions. It was pointed out the drafting of a mutually acceptable scheme for a settlement on Western Sahara would promote the general improvement of the situation in North Africa.
The Russian side expressed support for the mediatory efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his personal envoy, as well as for the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) and its key role in maintaining regional stability.
The meeting was followed by consultations at the Foreign Ministry later in the day between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov and Horst Koehler on the full range of issues connected with the Western Sahara settlement process.
