A third round of U.N.-backed negotiations on Western Sahara, comprising representatives of Morocco and Frente Polisario, will take place early next month, the United Nations announced Friday. U.N. spokeswoman Michele Montas said that the next meeting is scheduled for January 7 to 9 in Manhasset, just outside of New York City, and the site of the two previous rounds of negotiations in June and August. The talks will be facilitated by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's personal envoy for Western Sahara, Peter van Walsum, Montas told reporters, adding that letters of invitation from the secretary-general have been sent to both Morocco and Frente Polisario and to neighboring countries as well.
