Belgian foreign minister meets officials in Rabat
Morocco, Politics, 2/5/2000

King Mohammed VI received on Friday Belgian deputy-premier and foreign minister, Louis Michel, who started on Thursday a four-day visit to Morocco.

The Belgian official has held a series of meetings with several Moroccan officials, and chaired over the signing ceremony of an agreement under which Belgium extends $ 3.42 million to support a drinking water supply project in the southwestern region of Agadir.

Meeting the Belgian official, speaker of the house of representatives, Abdelouahed Radi, highlighted the stability, democracy and freedom prevailing in Morocco and the entire Moroccan society's unanimity over the monarchy. He added that Morocco is, however, facing economic hardships due to the weight of indebtedness and poor infrastructure. The Moroccan official called for more foreign investments in high-tech and education.

Radi also reviewed stages covered by the Sahara issue to perfect Morocco's territorial integrity in conformity with international legality.

The head of the Belgian diplomacy renewed his country's support to deeper economic ties between the European Union and Morocco, which is, he said, bound by "strong and particular" relations to Belgium.

Bilateral relations were also probed at a meeting between the Belgian official and Moroccan premier, Abderrahmane Youssoufi who said the two countries need to build on the existing opportunities to increase investments and consolidate economic cooperation.

The situation of the 200,000-strong Moroccan community living in Belgium and the need to find solutions to legal problems encountered by the Moroccan expatriates resulting from differences between the Belgian and Moroccan laws were reviewed between the Belgian foreign minister and Moroccan habous and islamic affairs minister, Abdelkebir Alaloui Mdaghri.

The two men agreed to set up a joint committee of legal experts to examine issues related to the custody of children born to marriages between Moroccans and Belgians.

A meeting between the Belgian foreign minister and Moroccan justice minister, Omar Azziman, reviewed the enforcement of judiciary agreements on prisoners' transfer and convicts expatriation. The Moroccan justice minister said Morocco has informed Belgian authorities on judiciary action against Belgian nationals.

Previous Stories:
  Belgium closely follows democratic evolution in Morocco   (2/4/2000)
  Belgian foreign minister expected in Morocco Thursday   (2/2/2000)
  Princess Lalla Hasna Attends Belgian Royal Wedding   (12/4/1999)

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