Moroccan FM hands royal message to Iran's Khatami
Morocco-Iran, Politics, 1/7/2002

Moroccan minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Mohamed Benaissa, who started Sunday a two-day visit to Iran, conveyed this Monday President Mohamed Khatami a message from King Mohammed VI.

The audience was attended by the Iranian President's close aides, Morocco's ambassador to Tehran, Jamaleddine Ghazi, and the members of Benaissa's delegation.

Immediately after arrival in Tehran Sunday, Benaissa held a meeting with his Iranian peer, Kamal Kharazi, to probe means of enhancing bilateral cooperation.

The two men exchanged viewpoints on latest international developments, with special focus on the situation in the Middle East and the Palestinian cause. They both voiced concern over the Israeli persistent threats in the region and stressed the imperative need to foil the media propaganda staged by Israel.

Touching on the terror attacks of last September 11 and the attempts to exploit these events to harm Islamic unity and solidarity, the two foreign ministers renewed Islamic countries' attachment to their values, authenticity and culture.

Benaissa later on conferred with secretary general of the Iranian higher national security council, Hassan Rouhani, on bilateral cooperation in security matters and struggle against terrorism.

Both sides voiced determination to consolidate bilateral cooperation in all realms and deemed that the current critical juncture and the challenges thrown at the Islamic world and the ferocious campaign against Islamic countries require further cooperation, solidarity, consultation and coordination of stands between Iran and Morocco, to serve their peoples' interests and the interests of the Islamic world as well.

In this vein, Benaissa called Islamic countries to work out a common strategy to take up the challenges and defend Islamic civilization and values.

The Moroccan foreign minister informed his interlocutor of Morocco's readiness to sign with Iran a security cooperation accord that would cover struggle against terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime. Benaissa called Islamic countries to join efforts to reach a common security system, while Rouhani stressed the need for the world to reach a clear cut definition of terrorism, and for the international community to avoid the amalgam between terrorism and peoples' struggle for their legitimate rights.

Talks also covered the situation in Palestine and condemned the Israeli aggressions against the Palestinian people, urging Islamic countries to extend further backing to the unarmed Palestinian people.

Dealing with the situation in Afghanistan, the two sides expressed hope that international efforts would contribute to restore peace and stability in this country, that had been plunged in war for more than two decades.

Previous Stories:
  Morocco's FM to Visit Teheran Sunday   (1/5/2002)
  Morocco's FM to visit Teheran this month   (1/3/2002)
  Iranian media praises Moroccan support to Teheran's proposals on Afghan crisis   (11/5/2001)

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