Morocco, EU agree on need to bolster Euro-Mediterranean partnership
Morocco-European Union, Politics, 10/10/2001

Morocco and the European Union on Tuesday stressed the need to enhance Euro-Mediterranean partnership to reach greater rapprochement between the two shores of the Mediterranean.

The two sides are also convinced that Europe's commitment to Mediterranean countries is today, more than ever before of paramount importance, given the developments on the international scene, European commissioner for foreign relations, Chris Patten, said at the end of a meeting here Tuesday with Moroccan secretary of state for foreign affairs and cooperation, Taib Fassi Fihri.

Fassi Fihri led the Moroccan delegation to the second session of the Morocco-EU association council held earlier Tuesday in Luxembourg.

A spokesman for the European commission said Patten also underscored the active role played by Morocco in energizing inter-regional cooperation, describing the kingdom as a major engine for the consolidation of Euro-Mediterranean partnership, citing in this regard the Agadir initiative setting up a free trade area between Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt.

The Agadir declaration setting up a free trade area between Arab-Mediterranean countries, ahead of the 2010 target for trade barriers to be lifted in the Euro-Mediterranean area, was signed in may 2001. The free trade zone including Arab Mediterranean countries would also be open to other Arab countries.

The two sides, the spokesman said, also insisted on the need to hold the Euro-Mediterranean ministerial meeting as scheduled next November in Brussels. Patten deems Morocco has a key role to play to ensure the success of this ministerial meeting that will be taking place in a very sensitive international juncture.

Talks between Fassi fihri and Patten also covered the latest developments in Afghanistan. Fassi fihri said in this regard that Morocco, which firmly condemned the terror attacks against the United States, deems that the US response must be temperate and have precise targets in order to spare the lives of innocent civilians, the spokesman said.

Previous Stories:
  Morocco-EU association council meets tuesday in Luxembourg   (10/8/2001)
  European Commission in Rabat moves to new offices   (9/22/2001)
  Morocco-EU ties reviewed in Rabat   (7/19/2001)

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