International human rights colloquy ends in Rabat
Regional, Politics, 10/23/2000

The international colloquy on "Human rights, cultural identity and social cohesion in the Mediterranean" staged by North-South Center and the Moroccan human rights department wound up works Saturday.

In the closing ceremony minister Mohamed Aujjar recalled progress made in democracy, especially in the 90's, and paid tribute to the genius of the late King Hassan II.

Aujjar said the kingdom is going through a "white revolution" with King Mohammed VI's democratic project, both open and faithful to historic, national and religious identity of the country and underscored the role played by the civil society in strengthening the democratic process.

Human rights commissioner at the European Council Alvaro Jil Robles insisted on the universal nature of human rights saying they are indivisible and have nothing to do with cultural-specific interpretation.

The North-South Center chairman Miguel Angel Martinez spoke of "intelligent solidarity" and "militant solidarity" with Morocco in particular and between North and South countries as a whole.

In their final report, participants hailed the Moroccan democratic experiment under King Mohammed VI, called for a more active European role in the quest for fair solutions to conflicts destabilizing the Mediterranean, especially the tragedy of the Palestinian people fighting for statehood and lasting peace.

The colloquy also called more and better communication channels if understanding is to be achieved and the setting up of a wise-men committee and an observatory to monitor freedom and tolerance. "European countries' immigration policy should not be based on selection and repression dictated by a security vision," participants to the colloquy said.

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