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Draft U.N. resolution on Western Sahara not enough, Polisario says

AP

United Nations

04/20/2011

The Security Council discussed the draft proposed by the U.S., France, Britain, Russia and Spain for the first time Tuesday.

A draft U.N. resolution on the disputed Western Sahara mentions human rights for the first time, but a pro-independence group says it doesn''t go far enough.

The Polisario Front says the resolution doesn''t set up an international body to monitor and protect people''s rights in the mineral-rich north African territory.

The Security Council discussed the draft proposed by the U.S., France, Britain, Russia and Spain for the first time Tuesday.

France said the five countries want to encourage Morocco''s recent steps to address the human rights situation.

But Polisario''s Khadad Mohamed said Morocco "has no right to pretend to defend human rights" when it is violating those rights.

Morocco has proposed wide-ranging autonomy for the Western Sahara butPolisario insists on a referendum on Western Sahara''s future.