Arab Summit on Agenda of Mubarak- Mohammed VI
Egypt-Morocco, Politics, 5/23/2000

Foreign Minister Amr Moussa said late Monday that the issue of the Arab summit will figure high in President Hosni Mubarak's talks with Moroccan King Mohammed VI.

Asked if Egypt will mediate between Algeria and Morocco, Moussa said that Cairo will not embark on such a drive unless so requested by the two countries.

He highlighted continued international efforts to settle the Western Sahara row by former US Secretary of State James Baker, acting as the personal envoy of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

"At this point there is no role that Egypt can propose to play," Moussa said. Morocco and Polisario have been at odds since 1991 on voters who are eligible to take part in a proposed referendum on the issue, to be held under UN auspices.

The UN set the number of voters at 86,000 while Morocco believes that the Western Sahara of population should be allowed to cast their votes.

On the expected results of king Mohammed VI's three-day visit, Moussa said that the aim of holding the Egyptian-Moroccan Higher committee at such a high-powered level is to upgrade bilateral relations.

The committee's fourth session, to be co-chaired by President Mubarak and King Mohammad VI, aims at giving momentum to bilateral economic and trade ties.

Moussa said his talks with Moroccan counterpart Mohamed Benaissa will also dwell on promoting Euro- Mediterranean cooperation under the Barcelona process.

Previous Stories:
  Moussa assures the importance of the meetings of the joint Egyptian - Moroccan committee   (5/20/2000)
  Egyptian hail relations with Morocco   (5/12/2000)
  Moroccan king to visit Egypt on May 22   (5/10/2000)

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