Moroccan fishery minister in Sweden
Morocco-Sweden, Economics, 3/30/2001

Moroccan minister of fisheries, Said Chbaatou, on Wednesday paid a visit to Sweden, which is holding the rotating chairmanship of the European Union, to expound Morocco's stand on the fisheries issue and on the negotiations it held with the European Union on a new fisheries accord.

Chbaatou explained to Swedish minister of agriculture, food and fisheries, Margareta Winberg, that Morocco's goal was not to claim more money from the union but more equity.

The Moroccan official renewed Morocco's stand and the Moroccan government's resolve to carry on negotiations far from any pressure, a statement by Morocco's embassy in Stockholm said.

Morocco and the European Union failed to reach agreement on a new fisheries agreement despite several rounds of negotiations at political and technical levels.

The divergence concerns mainly the financial compensation EU should pay to Morocco and the fisheries possibilities offered by Morocco.

When the previous Morocco-EU fisheries accord expired in November 1999, Morocco refused to renew it under its previous formula in a bid to safeguard its depleting sea resources.

Chbaatou told his Swedish interlocutor that Morocco was ready to conclude an accord based on equity and the principle of responsible fishing and taking into account the interests of both sides.

The Moroccan official proposed the setting up of a panel of experts to assess, according to scientific criteria, Morocco's proposals. The two sides will afterwards agree on the method that must be adopted and that must be based on the principle of renovated partnership, he said.

The Swedish official voiced understanding for Morocco's stand and said the union's Swedish chairmanship sincerely wishes to score progress in the fisheries dossier between Morocco and the Union, the statement said.

She conceded that the accord must be fair and mutually beneficial to both the union and Morocco and spoke of the possibility to confer to the European commissioner for fisheries, Franz Fischler, a new (negotiation) mandate after consultation with the Union members.

She said she would inform the EU experts and the European council (to meet in April) on Morocco's stand and proposal to set up a panel of experts, the statement added.

Ms Winberg wished Morocco success in the march towards modernity it is undertaking under the leadership of King Mohammed VI.

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