No democracy can be consolidated without fighting poverty, says premier
Morocco-USA, Politics, 1/9/2004

isiting Moroccan Prime Minister has insisted on the fight against poverty as the only means to consolidate democracy in the Kingdom.

Driss Jettou, who was addressing on Thursday the Washington-based "Heritage Foundation," said that Morocco has been endeavoring to curb what he called "social deficits," insisting that "it is not possible to consolidate democracy, liberalism, respect of human rights and the rule of law without strengthening, at the same pace, the struggle against poverty."

The Prime Minister, who is paying an official visit, at the invitation of the Bush Administration, the first of its kind, laid emphasis on the friendship relations binding Morocco and the US, saying that "by choosing the United States as a partner, Morocco has in reality chosen a model of free enterprise society."

This choice makes of it (Morocco) "one of the rare countries of the region to establish free trade not only with Arab and European countries, but also, on the other side of the Atlantic, with the United States," he added.

The issue of free trade with the US was also brought up by the Moroccan Premier in a speech delivered later at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, in which he said that Morocco and the United States are putting the finishing touches on such an agreement that could be wrapped up later this month or in early February.

He said conclusion of the accord would provide a strong signal of the vitality and permanence of relations between the two nations that extend back to a treaty signed in 1786.

"We are in the final phase of negotiations"' Jettou said. "There is the will to reach a conclusion and find a solution to a few remaining difficulties."

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