Morocco, Portugal want to up ties
Morocco-Portugal, Politics, 5/23/2003

Morocco's King Mohammed VI received this Thursday at the royal palace of Rabat Portuguese prime minister, Jose Manuel Durao Barroso.

The meeting took place in the presence of Portugal's minister of foreign affairs and Portuguese communities, Antonio Martins Da Cruz, assistant prime minister, Jose Luis Arnaut and Moroccan minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Mohamed Benaissa. The Portuguese prime minister chaired this Thursday with Moroccan peer, Driss Jettou, the two countries' joint commission.

Meantime, Morocco and Portugal on Thursday voiced will to give a new impetus to their bilateral cooperation by expanding economic collaboration and investments.

Morocco and Portugal, two nations bound by neighbourliness and a genuine friendship, "have much to do together to give more substance to their ties," Moroccan Prime Minister, Driss Jettou, said at the opening here of the 7th session of two countries high joint commission.

Jettou underlined that Rabat and Lisbon can play a key role at regional levels, to foster peace and stability and economic cooperation in the Mediterranean basin.

The Moroccan Premier deplored Portuguese investments in Morocco "are still short of the desired level," despite some success stories, particularly in cement industry, telecommunication and aviculture.

A Moroccan-Portuguese consortium, Meditel, is operating a thriving second GSM license in Morocco.

Jettou outlined to his Portuguese interlocutors Morocco's various assets and business opportunities for foreign economic operators. He cited, in this connection, economic liberalization, a daring privatization program and stronger infrastructures. "It is up to our economic operators to better grasp and exploit these advantages," he insisted.

The Premier urged for closer cooperation between Morocco and Portugal, outlining as "promising fields of cooperation" the upgrading of enterprises, infrastructures, ship-building, fisheries, transport, textile, housing and tourism.

Portuguese Premier, Durao Barrosso, who is co-chairing the commission's works with Jettou, said the meeting is an opportunity to assess and reinforce cooperation between the two friendly countries.

He agreed that Rabat and Lisbon can contribute efficiently to Euro-Mediterranean and Euro-African dialogue.

"We are two friend countries, two stable countries in an unstable world," he said, adding that his country is ready to contribute to upgrading Moroccan firms and share with Morocco the experience it gained when it was preparing to join the European Union.

The excellent political ties binding Morocco and Portugal should be reflected in business terms, he said, underlining the key role that the private sector can play in this regard.

Previous Stories:
  Portugal supports Morocco's claim for above-association status with eu   (2/12/2003)
  Portuguese FM visits Morocco   (2/11/2003)
  King Mohammed meets visiting Portuguese prime minister   (6/19/2002)

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