Turkey determined to bolster cooperation with Morocco
Morocco-Turkey, Economics, 2/8/2000

Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ismail Cem started talks on Monday in Rabat with Moroccan officials on the consolidation of political and economic cooperation between Ankara and Rabat.

Cem, who arrived in Morocco Sunday, concluded with his Moroccan peer, Mohamed Benaissa, a cooperation protocol on the consolidation of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The accord seeks to strengthen friendship ties between the two countries and to coordinate their stands on international issues.

Meetings and training sessions for the two departments' staff will be held under the accord.

During the signing ceremony, both sides stressed the need to enhance cooperation in the sectors of economy, tourism and culture and pledged to multiply consultations for the promotion of world peace, stability and security and of rapprochement and entente between the two banks of the Mediterranean.

Later in the evening, Cem probed with Minister of Trade, Industry and Handicraft Alami Tazi means of enhancing trade exchange between the two Mediterranean countries.

These exchanges have witnessed a noteworthy progress over the past years, going up from $60.5 million (605 million DH) in 1993 to $104 million (1.4 billion DH) in 1998.

Morocco's imports from Turkey are mainly made up of wheat, steel products, radio receivers and electric devices. Exports consist of natural and chemical fertilizers, phosphoric acid, lead and paper pulp.

The two officials called for the meeting of the joint cooperation commission and of the Morocco-Turkey business council to give new momentum to economic cooperation.

The business council, set up in 1990, seeks to promote economic, commercial, financial and industrial cooperation, encourage joint investments, and help private operators foster economic partnership.

Previous Stories:
  Turkish foreign minister on three-day visit to Rabat   (2/7/2000)
  Moroccan-Turkish cooperation discussed in Rabat   (11/24/1999)
  Turkish official starts visit to Morocco   (11/23/1999)

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