UN names new Western Sahara envoy

The Polisario Front wants a referendum on independence

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has named an American diplomat he intends to appoint as new special envoy to mediate in the Western Sahara crisis.

Christopher Ross was once US ambassador to Algeria, which backs Western Sahara independence group the Polisario Front.

Morocco, which controls most of the Western Sahara, has proposed semi-autonomy for the region.

But the Polisario Front is asking for a referendum with full independence as one of the options.

A ceasefire has held since 1991, but negotiations have stalled many times since then with little common ground between the opposing sides.

Mr Ross will replace Dutch diplomat Peter van Walsum, who was accused of favouring Morocco after saying independence for Western Sahara was "unrealistic".