US encourages Morocco and Algeria to carry on efforts for quest of Sahara issue solution
Algeria-USA, Politics, 12/5/2003

US Secretary of state Colin Powell renewed in Algiers on Wednesday that the US administration encourages Morocco and Algeria to carry on efforts for the quest of a solution to the Sahara issue.

The statement was made during a joint press conference held with Algerian foreign minister in Algeria, the last stop of Powell's three-nation Maghreban tour.

The US official said he reaffirmed the U.S. stand during his talks with Algerian president and and Morocco's king whom he had met earlier in the day in Morocco.

The US will not impose a solution as regard the Sahara issue, he went on, insisting that his country encourages parties to continue efforts to reach a settlement to this question through dialogue.

In a recent message to King Mohammed VI, US president, George W. Bush, had said the U.S "understands the sensitivity of the Western Sahara to your people and does not seek to impose a solution to that conflict on you." (MAP)OB/

Morocco-U.S. Relations are Excellent, US Secretary of State

RABAT, Dec. 04 (MAP)- US secretary of state Colin Powell, who wound up Wednesday a whirlwind tour to three Maghreban countries, namely Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria, qualified US relations with Morocco as excellent, underlining that "Morocco is an important international partner for the USA."

"We have strongly supported steps that Morocco has taken to move to the future: Successful elections at the parliamentary level, regional level, elections of the first female mayor and bold reforms of the family code. I congratulate His Majesty for these initiatives," he told a pre-departure press conference in Marrakech.

Of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) currently being negotiated between Morocco and the U.S., Powell said "we will hopefully have an FTA by the end of this year."

"We are absolutely confident that the FTA will provide abundant promising new opportunities for Moroccans as well as for Americans. The FTA will benefit all sectors of the Moroccan society," the secretary of state said, vowing "we will be very sensitive to the particular situation existing here in Morocco as regards the rural society and effects of the free trade on the agriculture sector."

The two countries agreed during negotiations on a special chapter for agriculture to allow Morocco achieve rural development and boost its exports.

In an interview with Moroccan TV channel "RTM," Powell asserted that his country has expressed support to Morocco by boosting bilateral cooperation, notably in economy.

Powell also recalled that the U.S. "will be increasing economic assistance by four folds over the next years and will be doubling the support provided to the military."

Washington had announced end of last October that Washington is quadrupling its non-military aid to Morocco to US$ 40 million and doubling its military assistance to US$ 20 million.

Previous Stories:
  This is time for Morocco and Algeria to enter into serious discussions, powell   (12/4/2003)
  Washington backs political solution to Sahara issue   (10/28/2003)
  Burns in Algeria for cooperation talks   (10/27/2003)

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