Annan meets Moroccan king

The United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, has had talks with King Mohammed of Morocco on the UN plan to resolve the dispute over Western Sahara.

The UN plan calls for a referendum to decide whether the former Spanish colony should become incorporated into Morocco or become independent.

But it has been repeatedly postponed due to disputes over who is eligible to vote.

Mr Annan has urged both sides to offer specific solutions to implement the plan or consider alternatives to resolve the dispute. Mr Annan later flew to Iran at the start of a Middle East tour.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service