Morocco's fm sees any contact with Spain as positive step
Morocco-Spain, Politics, 1/4/2003

Morocco's foreign affairs and cooperation minister, Mohamed Benaissa deems any contact with Spain as "a positive step."

In an interview broadcast Thursday by Abu Dhabi satellite TV channel, Benaissa recalled the recent visit to Morocco by Spain's Fisheries minister, after King Mohammed VI announced last December 13 a Moroccan initiative to allow Galicia ships, affected by sunken tanker Prestige oil slick, a three-month renewable exceptional access to the Moroccan Exclusive Economic Zone.

Touching on the issue of the Moroccan Northern cities of Sebta and Melilia, still under Spanish occupation, Benaissa said that this issue, being related to Moroccan sovereignty, will be examined in due course.

Relations between the two countries evolve according to the 1991 friendship, cooperation and neighbourliness agreement in order to move forward in settling all the pending issues, and establish true partnership, based on transparency and mutual respect.

The Moroccan official further said in connection to the Moroccan Sahara issue that he sensed during his recent visit to Madrid "willingness on the part of our Spanish interlocutors to understand the Moroccan stand, bearing in mind that Spain will become (starting this month) a member in the Security Council and will have to address this issue."

He also hoped that Madrid will "adopt a position that will serve peace and stability in the region, given that Spain is well aware of our position, history and developments of this issue as well as the parties involved."

Previous Stories:
  Some 900,000 Moroccans turned back at Melilia's checkpoint in 2002   (1/3/2003)
  Aznar: Relations with Morocco are a priority for Spain   (12/31/2002)
  Morocco calls Spain to show dynamic and active neutrality in Sahara issue settlement   (12/28/2002)

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