Morocco wants relations with Italy a model of mediterranean partnership
Morocco-Italy, Politics, 5/16/2002

Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Tuesday voiced hope to see relations between Morocco and Italy develop into a model of Mediterranean partnership.

"(É)We will develop the relations between our two nations into a model of Mediterranean partnership," said King Mohammed VI at a dinner he hosted in honor of Italian president Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.

The king stressed that Morocco and Italy's "joint aspiration to give a new impetus to ties of cooperation between our two countries, and which received positive responses, including financial support extended by your country for the implementation of major projects in Morocco, and the conversion of part of debts owed by Morocco to Italy, into investments, has led us to hope for an additional effort in this regard, so that private economic actors would make full use of the mechanisms available."

"Thus, we will develop the relations between our two nations into a model of Mediterranean partnership," he said voicing confidence that Ciampi's visit to Morocco will contribute to making this model a reality.

The king lauded the longstanding ties of friendship which bind Morocco and Italy, noting that these bonds, strong and varied, are based on continuous dialogue and on shared views on different regional and international issues.

He equally noted that the strength of these relations "stems from the fact that we belong to the same Mediterranean area and that our two countries have both played a historic role in bringing the Islamic world and the western world closer together."

"We also share your dedication to inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogue aimed at fostering optimal coexistence between nations and peoples," he said.

The king underlined that Morocco counts on Italy to develop a concrete and advanced status for the North African country's partnership with the European Union (EU).

He recalled, in this connection, that Morocco has made significant headway in building exemplary partnership with the EU.

King Mohammed VI said the excellent Moroccan-Italian relations, mainly through the presence of a sizeable Moroccan community in the European country, provide a basis for the emergence of a regional framework which caters for joint potentials.

"In this connection, we reaffirm that Morocco is determined to enhance this strategic option through the Agadir Declaration, which has become a corner-stone for southern Mediterranean integration," he said.

The Agadir Declaration signed in May 2001 in Morocco by Morocco, Jordan, Egypt and Tunisia, seeks to set up an enlarged free trade area including Arab-Mediterranean countries. Other Arab states are expected to join the drive to create the zone.

Previous Stories:
  President Ciampi of Italy arrives in Morocco   (5/15/2002)
  Italian communication secretary of state in Morocco   (3/14/2002)
  After Laayoune, Italian lawmakers meet Moroccan officials in rabat   (2/20/2002)

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