Israel to carry on peace talks with Palestine
Morocco-Israel, Politics, 1/14/2000

Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy said in Rabat Friday that his country will carry on peace talks with Palestine until the peace process bears fruit.

In a press briefing at the end of his official visit to Moroccco, Levy renewed Israel's "firm resolve to carry peace talks with the Palestinian Authority in parallel with Syria."

"We are conducting hard talks with Syria," he said before insisting that the Palestinian track will not be affected by Israeli-Syrian talks.

Israeli-Palestinian talks will not be disturbed or stopped by Israel's negotiations with Syria, he went on, stressing that the Palestinian track has the priority over peace with Syria.

Levy, who paid on Wednesday and Thursday a two-day official visit to Morocco, briefed King Mohammed VI on the latest developments in the Middle East peace process, mainly the results of the recent Israeli-Syrian talks in the USA.

Levy said following the two-hour meeting with the king that the Moroccan sovereign is a peace-loving man willing to carry on the action of his late father, King Hassan II, and ready to play a broker role in the Middle East peace process, in view of the trust he enjoys.

After he stressed that the king has a very good knowledge of the peace process problems, Levy, a Moroccan-born Jew, paid tribute to the late King Hassan II's bravery and wisdom that remains "engraved in (our) memory and heart."

He also voiced satisfaction at his talks with King Mohammed VI, "a young king that (we) respect and encourage in his efforts" for the development of his country.

The Middle East peace process was also reviewed at Levy's meetings with Premier Abderrahmane Youssoufi and Foreign Minister Mohamed Benaissa. During another meeting with king's advisor, Andre Azoulay, the situation of the Moroccan Jewish community in the world and opportunities for their contribution to the development of their home country, Morocco, were reviewed.

Levy starts this Friday a two-day private visit to Morocco. Born in Morocco in 1937, Levy left the kingdom for Israel in 1957. He attended in Rabat last July the funeral of the late King Hassan II.

Following the signing of the Israeli-Palestinian peace accords in Washington in 1993, the then-Israeli prime minister and foreign minister, the late Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres, had stopped over in Morocco to brief the late King Hassan II on the agreement.

Morocco and Israel, which do not have full diplomatic relations, exchanged in 1994 liaison offices.

Previous Stories:
  King Mohammed receives Levy   (1/13/2000)
  Israeli foreign minister expected this afternoon in Morocco   (1/12/2000)
  Israeli foreign minister in Morocco   (1/11/2000)

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