Morocco rejects strongly statements of Dutch EU commissioner
Morocco-Netherlands, Politics, 11/11/2004

Morocco rejects strongly the statements made by Dutch European Commissioner, Frits Bolkestein, who made unacceptable judgements on some alleged responsibility of Morocco in the tragic murder, November 2nd, of Dutch film director, Theo Van Gogh, said Wednesday Moroccan delegated foreign minister, Taib Fassi Fihri.

Questioned on the remarks of the Dutch official who "expressed doubt on Morocco's commitment to fight international terrorism," the minister said the kingdom "can only vigorously reject such remarks," while greeting "the lucid and responsible" stand of the Dutch government.

"How can Mr Bolkestein, member of the European Commission, be unaware of the constant and firm position the Kingdom has on terrorism, and its resolved and unambiguous engagement in this field, which is subject, moreover, of thorough and fruit-bearing dialogue with the European Union and its Member States?" wondered Fassi Fihri. How can the European commissioner "be unaware that it is a global threat, transcending nationalities?" he went on.

How can Mr. Bolkestein "forget that the Kingdom of Morocco has itself been a victim, on May 16, 2003, of blind terrorism that vainly tried to undermine its societal project? "How can he pretend to be unaware that the supposed assassin of movie maker Van Gogh was born and brought up in the Netherlands, where he still resides?"

"Also, and rather than to try to find outsider scapegoats external, Mr. Bolkestein should contribute to the reflexion on the objectives, conditions and system effectiveness of foreign communities integration, in particular at the socio-economic level, but also at that of education," underlined the minister, considering that the European official should also "wonder about the reasons of the development, in his country, of a radical Islamism, alien to the culture and values of Morocco," Fassi Fihri added, noting that the Moroccan community established in the Netherlands, like everywhere else, "has always lived in harmony and intelligence with the various components of the Dutch society."

"This community, today, is deeply worried by the attitude of certain Dutch political leaders, largely relayed by the mass-media which, while insisting on the origins of the assassin, have recourse to simplistic approaches which try to make the whole community assume the deviating, criminal behavior of one of its members."

Fassi Fihri concluded that "wisdom and the concern of preserving the peaceful coexistence between the various communities and of their basic rights, wants it that one should care to avoid any amalgam between Islam and terrorism, which breeds inter-community tensions."

Theo van Gogh was murdered in Amsterdam on Tuesday, November 2nd. The 47-year-old film director and publicist was shot and stabbed several times by his assassin on the streets of the Dutch capital.

Van Gogh had made no secret of his sympathy for the policies and restrictive immigration policies of the party led by the right-wing populist Pim Fortuyn, who was himself murdered in May 2002.

Previous Stories:
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  European Union should reconsider policy towards Morocco, Dutch minister   (4/11/2002)
  Dutch officials to visit Morocco to consolidate cooperation   (10/9/2001)

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