Moroccan-US summit talks focus on situation in Middle East, bilateral free trade area
Morocco-USA, Politics, 4/24/2002

Morocco's King Mohammed VI, who is currently on a work visit to the United States, held talks at the White House on Tuesday with US President George Walker Bush on a set of topical issues of mutual concern.

Moroccan-US cooperation, the situation in the Maghreb, struggle against terrorism and the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and the Middle East conflict were at the center of the long work session and the luncheon that gathered King Mohammed VI, President Bush and their close aides.

The two heads of state both voiced satisfaction over the quality of bilateral relations and the trust characterizing bilateral cooperation.

President Bush highlighted the coherence of the society project built up by Morocco and insisted on the progress scored in matters of democracy and human rights, pointing that this progress helps consolidate stability and security in the region.

Echoing President Bush, King Mohammed VI underlined the importance Morocco grants to the strategic and multi-faceted partnership promoted between Morocco and the United States and that covers political, economic and cultural realms as well as the aspects of security and defense, to which both countries are most attentive.

This partnership is today having a new dimension with the agreement reached by the two countries, as announced by President Bush at the opening of the work session, to set up the soonest possible a free trade area.

Morocco is glad to be part of the very selective list of countries targeted by the US Administration to speed up, expand and promote economic and financial cooperation and partnership between the two countries and between the private operators and investors, said King Mohammed VI.

It is in this economic context that the sovereign renewed Morocco's attachment to regional integration, which remains for Morocco, he said, a strategic option, an economic necessity and a legitimate aspiration of the member countries of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA, mustering Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Mauritania and Tunisia).

President Bush hailed Morocco's resolve to endeavor in this direction and voiced the United States' readiness to help consolidate and strengthen stability, security and prosperity in the region.

In this vein, King Mohammed VI analyzed in detail and in all transparency the recent developments of the dossier of Morocco's territorial integrity, insisting on the reasons behind the national consensus over this dossier. The sovereign expounded the risks to affect the whole region in case of any reflection or scenario putting forth the balkanization of this part of the world, saying the shock wave will sweep well beyond the Maghreb borders.

Morocco, which is attached, more than ever before, to a political solution under national sovereignty, will spare no effort to help establish the security, stability and peace to which all the countries of the region aspire.

President Bush explained his country's policy in the Middle East, saying the United States knows that the only way out to the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis is the establishment of two sovereign states, restored in their dignity and security.

We must get mobilized to materialize this reality as soon as possible, President Bush said, adding that the project to hold an international conference, which is being worked out by several countries, lies in this perspective.

King Mohammed VI, who informed President Bush of the phone talks he had just held with President Yasser Arafat of Palestine, renewed Morocco's readiness to contribute to the ongoing efforts to bring back Palestinians and Israelis to the negotiations table.

However, the sovereign insisted, this perspective implies the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Israelis from the occupied territories and requires that President Arafat recover full freedom of maneuver in the shortest delays.

Morocco agrees to the holding of such a conference, but the project cannot be meaningful without a full participation of a Palestinian delegation, headed by President Arafat, sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

Meantime, President Bush accepted the invitation by the king and said he would visit Morocco as his schedule allows him to do so. Bush said that Morocco is present in his heart and in his family's heart and that he was looking forward to visiting the kingdom as soon as he can.

Previous Stories:
  King Mohammed stresses need for immediate Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian territories   (4/23/2002)
  Morocco attaches importance to USAID Action, king Mohammed   (4/23/2002)
  Morocco renews will to endeavour for reviving mideast peace process   (4/23/2002)

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