Key facts
- Russia vetoed a US-drafted UN Security Council resolution on Western Sahara.
- The resolution sought to reduce the military component of the UN peacekeeping mission.
- Morocco's autonomy plan was proposed as the sole basis for a political settlement.
- Russia had proposed an alternative resolution to extend the mission's mandate for one year without changes.
The United Nations Security Council on October 30 saw Russia veto a US-drafted resolution concerning the Western Sahara conflict. The proposed resolution aimed to reduce the military component of the UN peacekeeping mission, MINURSO, and establish Morocco's autonomy plan as the exclusive basis for negotiations. Russia had previously circulated its own resolution to simply extend the mission's mandate for another year without the proposed changes. Moscow stated its support for extending MINURSO's mandate and welcomed dialogue between the parties involved in the dispute.