Forum for the Future: a non-constraining dialogue space, Moroccan government spokesman
Morocco-Regional, Politics, 12/11/2004

The Forum for the Future, held in Rabat this Dec.10-11 is "a non-constraining space for dialogue that concerns all Arab states and most of Islamic countries," as well as the G-8, said in Rabat on Friday Moroccan communication minister and government spokesman Nabil Benabdellah.

"This is a space that is in line with previous encounters, particularly the Barcelona process and the Arab Summit of Tunis which approved modernization in the Arab world," he told reporters in parallel to the preparatory session to the Forum held at the level of experts this Friday.

For Morocco, he insisted, "changes and economic and social development can only stem from the concerned societies and peoples, and cannot be imposed on any country."

He went on that Morocco, together with the Arab states underlined that only a comprehensive approach that takes into account all the issues posed on the Arab scene will lead to a consensus-based formula to address all these major issues, noting that "this approach also requires to pose the thorny issues, particularly the Palestinian cause and the situation in Iraq."

He also argued that the change and modernization process can only emanate from inside the concerned countries as part of a comprehensive approach that caters for all the important and sensitive issues in the Arab and Islamic world, urging for "deepening dialogue." Dialogue, he went on, is all the more necessary as the Forum is a common initiative and not a unilateral one that does not take into account specificity of our countries.

To a question on Iran's absence, he said Teheran apologized at the last minute for Ç its own reasons È, hoping that "this great Islamic country will take part in the coming editions of the forum."

He also announced that Sudan will not send a representative to the conference.

The official also stressed that representatives of the civil society, which held a meeting in Rabat, will be given the opportunity to expound their viewpoints before the foreign and finance ministers.

To a question on the anti-Forum protests, Benabdellah said "demonstrations will be held in total freedom in keeping with the laws in force in Morocco and that freedoms will be fully guaranteed, including the freedom to demonstrate."

He also said demos are a sign of "good health," recalling that the choice of Morocco as a venue for the Forum shows that the Kingdom "is a land of dialogue, encounters and exchange of ideas."

Co-chaired by Morocco, the host country, and the USA, chairman of the G-8, the 1st Forum for the Future is a key element in the "partnership for progress and joint future" between the region of the Broad Middle East and North Africa and the G-8 (USA, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and Russia).

Previous Stories:
  King Mohammed VI receives chairman of MERCOSUR permanent delegates commission   (12/8/2004)
  Forum for the Future to help G8 contribute to MENA region development, minister   (12/7/2004)
  Moroccan PM calls for Arab unified coalition   (12/3/2004)

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