SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES RELEASE OF MOROCCAN PRISONERS OF WAR

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES RELEASE OF MOROCCAN PRISONERS OF WAR

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan:

The Secretary-General welcomes the release by the Frente POLISARIO, with the assistance of a MemberState, of an additional 100 prisoners of war, who were repatriated on 24 February to the Kingdom of Morocco by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The Secretary-General expresses the hope that the Frente POLISARIO will expeditiously release all remaining prisoners, in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions and in compliance with international humanitarian law.  He also urges the parties to continue to cooperate with the ICRC to resolve the fate of all those unaccounted for since the beginning of the conflict.

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