The municipal council of the city of Laayoune held on Saturday the signing of the twinning between municipalities of Laayoune and Italian Sorrento to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two cities in the political, economic, social, cultural and scientific fields. This twinning with a European city is a historically unprecedented event in the Sahara region.

President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, said, here Thursday, that Morocco's proposal to grant autonomy to its southern provinces (The Sahara), is the "best solution" to settle the Sahara issue.

UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, reiterated his call upon the parties to negotiate in good faith, without any preconditions, and to show political will to enter into substantive discussions on the Sahara and ensure the success of the negotiations on the basis of the four rounds of talks and the latest consultations held in the region by his Personal Envoy, Christopher Ross.

The Washington-based Arab Community Center (ACC), awarded the world peace prize 2009 to King Mohammed VI, ACC Chairman, Oussama El Sharabassi, said.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives of Colombia, Mr. German Varon Cotrino, described, Thursday in Rabat, the autonomy plan for the Sahara as "most viable".