Morocco may have been spying on monitors in Western Sahara, says UN chief

Ban Ki-moon suggests Morocco may have been spying on the world body's monitoring force in the disputed territory, hampering ts ability to function, according to a new report.

UNITED NATIONS // UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon suggested that Morocco may have been spying on the world body's monitoring force in the disputed territory of Western Sahara and hampering its ability to function, according to a new report.

Mr Ban's 28-page assessment, obtained by Reuters, comes after the latest round of UN-mediated talks last month between Morocco, the Polisario Front independence movement, Algeria and Mauritania on the future of Western Sahara failed to make any real progress. Previous rounds held during the past five years ended similarly.

In his report to the UN Security Council, Mr Ban complained that the UN force in Western Sahara, known as Minsuro, is "unable to exercise fully its peacekeeping monitoring, observation and reporting functions, or avail of the authority to reverse the erosion" of its ability to function.

He urged the 15-nation council to assist him "in reasserting the mandated role of Minsuro, upholding peacekeeping standards and (UN) neutrality, and ensuring that the minimum conditions for the successful operation of the Mission are met."

Among the difficulties the force has been facing, Mr Ban wrote, is what UN diplomats told Reuters was Moroccan spying on the UN force.

"There were ... indications that the confidentiality of communications between Minsuro headquarters and New York was, at least on occasion, compromised," Mr Ban's report said.

Morocco's UN mission did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

Morocco says Western Sahara, a sparsely-populated tract of desert that has phosphates, fisheries and, potentially, oil and gas, should come under its sovereignty, while the Polisario says it is an independent state.

The Polisario waged a guerrilla war against Moroccan forces until the United Nations brokered a ceasefire in 1991 with the understanding that a referendum would be held on the fate of the territory. The referendum never took place and attempts to reach a lasting deal since then have foundered.

Mr Ban describes other difficulties Minsuro is facing in the Moroccan-controlled territory west of the Berm - a 1,500 kilometre sand wall that separates a 100,000 strong Moroccan army from more than 10,000 Polisario soldiers.

While Minsuro's civilian staff have freedom of movement west of the Berm, Mr Ban said access to the local population "is controlled [by Moroccan authorities], which has an effect on interaction with the full spectrum of local interlocutors."

The language in that section was watered down from a previous, more dramatic version. The earlier draft, also obtained by Reuters, said that UN personnel's movements were "closely monitored with the consequent chilling effect" on its interaction with the local residents.

Several council diplomats said the UN amended the text in response to pressure from temporary council member Morocco, which has close relations with France, its former colonial master and a permanent veto-wielding council member.

Polisario's representative in New York, Ahmed Boukhari, wrote to UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous to complain about the revisions, which he blamed on Morocco and described as a "fatal coup to UN credibility," according to a copy of his message.

In the report, Mr Ban asked the council to renew the mandate of the monitoring force, which expires later this month, for another year.