King Mohammed hosts official dinner in honor of Dominican president
Morocco-Dominican Republic, Politics, 5/24/2002

Morocco's King Mohammed VI, accompanied by Princess Lalla Meryem, hosted on Wednesday at the Ryad Palace in Rabat an official dinner in honor of Dominican president Hipolito Mejia and his spouse.

At the throne hall, the sovereign and his guest, who arrived in Morocco Wednesday for an official visit, exchanged decorations and symbolic presents.

In a speech he delivered on the occasion, the sovereign paid tribute to the Dominican Government for its stance on the Sahara issue. The king who stressed that this stance is in accordance with international legality, also recalled how

"Morocco's effort to fully recover its territorial integrity is unanimously supported by the nation as a top priority."

He went on that Morocco "is trying to reach a final solution for this artificial dispute about its legitimate right to recover its Sahara. In keeping with its democratic option and its Maghrebian approach, Morocco is doing its best to find a settlement to this conflict. It is supporting all-good-will initiatives taken by the United Nations, through the proposed UN framework-agreement which seeks to give large powers to our provinces in the South, in full respect for the sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity of the Kingdom."

Of relations between Morocco and the Dominican republic, the king said President Mejia's visit to Morocco, the first ever by a President of the Dominican Republic to Morocco, "is a valuable opportunity for us to engage in fruitful consultations and thus strengthen further the bonds of friendship and cooperation, for the benefit of the two countries."

The King further argued that the two countries, which enjoy geo-strategic positions, Morocco being an active player on the Arab-African scene, and a special partner of the European Union, and the Dominican Republic being an efficient member of the Organization of American States and of the Association of Caribbean States-institutions, boast significant assets and potentials to develop stronger ties of cooperation and build channels of communication between the Arab World, the African continent and the Caribbean region.

The sovereign further hailed the importance of the agreements to be signed during this visit in establishing the necessary legal framework for the boosting of cooperation and coordinating positions. "The aim also is to benchmark our economies in an effort to build full-fledged south-south partnership, especially with latin American countries, and to meet the challenges of globalization," the sovereign went.

In his speech, the sovereign further explained that the recent acts of violence and terror confirm the magnitude of the international community responsibilities, calling for a coherent approach in international endeavors to ending all manifestations of deprivation, extremism and tension in the world, taking into account all economic, cultural, social and security dimensions.

He also stressed that guaranteeing Arab legitimate rights and coexistence between the Palestinian and the Israeli States are conditions for an end to violence and counter-violence

"This is why we are focusing so much of our attention on the Middle East crisis. We are endeavoring to put an end to the cycle of violence and counter-violence, through reactivation of a peace process which caters to the restoration of the Arab legitimate rights, along with the coexistence between the Palestinian and the Israeli States, on the basis of international legality, the Arab peace plan, and through the proposed international conference for the success of which we shall spare no effort."

Previous Stories:
  King Mohammed chairs official welcome to Dominican president   (5/23/2002)
  Dominican Republic's president arrives in Morocco   (5/23/2002)
  Dominican Republic's president visits Morocco   (5/21/2002)

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