Morocco, Spain resolved to set up strategic partnership
Morocco-Spain, Politics, 6/11/2004

Moroccan and Spanish foreign ministers, respectively Mohamed Benaissa and Miguel Angel Moratinos on Wednesday spelled the two countries' resolve to mold their relations in a "strategic partnership" by enhancing their ties of "friendship, cooperation and good neighborhood, in accordance with the Casablanca declaration."

This came at a joint press conference by the two officials following their meeting in Madrid to probe bilateral cooperation.

"Partnership implies increasingly important coordination, not only for bilateral issues, but also part of the European and Euro-Mediterranean framework," they said.

Concerning Morocco's designation last week by US President George Bush's as a "major non-Nato ally," Moratinos reiterated that "this is good news." Spanish prime minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero had said on Monday his government "is not worried about the US decision."

Moratinos regretted what he described as the "obsession over the Moroccan-Spanish relations," stressing that the two neighbor countries are currently talking economic cooperation in a climate of "peace and dialogue."

"We are not concerned about Morocco and the US having cooperation ties and holding joint maneuvers, just as we did in the past, and as we will do again with Morocco," he insisted.

On his part, Benaissa explained that President Bush's decision crowns long standing ties of friendship between the two countries that will sign, June 15, the free trade agreement they have concluded recently.

Morocco, he insisted, does not seek to buy weapons from countries. "Morocco, a democratic and peaceful country, is not seeking war," it is rather seeing to contribute to peace and stability in the region."

Previous Stories:
  Spain's Premier: no worry about Morocco's becoming US Major non-Nato ally   (6/8/2004)
  Morocco participates in Spanish annual military maneuvers   (6/7/2004)
  Madrid 'really keen' to overcome past problems with Rabat, Speaker   (6/1/2004)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search