SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES RELEASE OF 100 MOROCCAN PRISONERS OF WAR

SECRETARY-GENERAL welcomes release of 100 moroccan prisoners of war

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

The Secretary-General welcomes the release by Frente POLISARIO of an additional 100 prisoners of war, who were repatriated on 23 June 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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