Morocco, Mali call for dialogue to settle African conflicts
Morocco-Mali, Politics, 6/17/2000

Morocco and Mali have called African countries to resort to dialogue and peaceful means to settle their conflicts on the basis of the respect of national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

This came in a joint statement released Friday at the end of the official visit President Alpha Oumar Konare of Mali paid to Morocco June 14-16 at the invitation of King Mohammed VI.

The two heads of state who exchanged viewpoints on issues of mutual concern at the regional, continental and international levels also dealt with the conflicts still tearing apart the African continent, mainly in the Horn of Africa, in the Great Lakes region and in western Africa.

They called for an immediate halt to the hostilities and appealed to the conflicting countries to resort to dialogue and to peaceful means to settle these conflicts on the basis of the respect of national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Touching on relations between Mauritania and Senegal, King Mohammed VI and President Konare, expressed appreciation for the efforts made by the two sisterly countries to promote dialogue and consultation and to upgrade their cooperation for a harmonious economic and social development.

The two heads of state also stressed the need for African countries to foster their solidarity and cooperation to take up the challenges of globalization and underlined the importance of regional integration.

King Mohammed VI and President Konare called for the lifting of the embargo still imposed on Libya despite Tripoli's positive stand in the Lockerbie issue and of the embargo decreed against the Iraqi people. They renewed backing to efforts meant to find a peaceful settlement to the Iraqi crisis in the context of international legality and while taking into account the respect of Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Regarding the Middle East peace process, the two heads of state renewed support to the process and to the establishment of a Palestinian state with Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as its capital and called for Israel's withdrawal from the occupied Arab territories and for the establishment of a fair and lasting peace for all the peoples of the region.

The talks between King Mohammed VI and President Konare also covered means of promoting relations between Morocco and Mali, the joint statement said.

During his visit, President Konare conferred with Moroccan Premier, Abderrahmane Youssoufi, the speakers of the two chambers of the parliament, senior executives of the employers' association La Confederation Generale des Entreprises du Maroc (CGEM), as well as with the acting chairman of Maroc-2006 association, which promotes the kingdom's bid to host the 2006 world soccer cup.

Previous Stories:
  Malian president winds up official visit to Morocco   (6/16/2000)
  President of Mali visits Morocco   (6/14/2000)
  Malian foreign minister meets Moroccan officials   (6/7/2000)

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