Representatives of Morocco and the Polisario Front didn’t reach an agreement regarding the status of Western Sahara during their talks mediated by the United Nations.

A UN envoy participated at a second round of discussions held in Manhasset, near New York on Saturday and said the Sahrawi movement and Rabat officials didn’t reach a consensus, but agreed to hold new talks in a venue due to be established.

“Both parties have admitted that the present status is not acceptable and have committed to further talks in good faith,” UN mediator Peter van Walsum said.

He also said that both sides will be informed regarding the territory’s natural resources, the forming of a local administration and other measures that would make future talks go smoothly.

Western Sahara is a former Spanish colony, located in northwestern Africa and bordering Morocco in the north. In 1975 Rabat claimed the territory and since then a feud with the Polisario Front erupted.

The independence movement wants the sparsely populated territory to become independent and not a part of Morocco, as the Rabat authorities desire. On the other side, the Moroccan government wishes to have total control over the territory and said it is willing to grant it autonomy.

The Polisario proposed a referendum in order to permit Sahrawis to choose their own fate, but despite support from the UN in the past a referendum wasn’t held and about 260,000 people remain without a local administration.