Istiqlal party leader meets heads of Italian parties
Morocco-Italy, Politics, 1/27/2000

Secretary general of the Istiqlal Party, Abbas El Fassi, held talks in Rome with leaders of two Italian opposition parties, namely president of the Christian democrat center, Pierre Fernando Casini, and vice-president of Forza Italia, Antonio Martino.

Talks mainly focused on the issue of Morocco's territorial integrity, reasons behind the delay in implementing the U.N settlement plan on the Sahara and Morocco's stand on the plan, reported the Istiqlal party's daily in French L'Opinion this Thursday.

El Fassi told his interlocutors that Morocco would not accept that one single citizen of Sahara origin be deprived of his right to participate in the U.N projected referendum.

The referendum would determine whether the Sahara, a southern Moroccan territory that was formerly under Spanish rule and that was retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accords, remains part of Morocco or sets up on its own, as claimed by a separatist movement, the Polisario. The referendum has been repeatedly postponed because of the Polisario maneuvers to shrink the voters' list.

The Istiqlal party leader also explained to his Italian interlocutors the obstacles hampering the march of the Arab Maghreb.

Talks covered the gains scored by Morocco in political and human rights matters, the situation in the kingdom after the enthronement of King Mohammed VI last July, and relations between Morocco and Italy.

El Fassi who started his visit to Italy on Tuesday is to meet leaders of other Italian political parties and members of the foreign affairs committee at the Italian parliament.

The trip is part of a series of visits by El Fassi to a number of Mediterranean countries linked to Morocco with economic, social and cultural relations.

The Istiqlal party is participating in the center-left coalition government led by socialist Abderrahmane Youssoufi.

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