Italian foreign minister arrives in Morocco
Morocco-Italy, Politics, 7/27/1998

Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini, arrived in Rabat on Sunday for a 3-day official visit at the invitation of his Moroccan counterpart Abdellatif Filali.

Dini told reporters upon arrival in Rabat that his visit is part of the "Italian government's policy to establish strong bonds of cooperation with Morocco."

Dini, who termed as "great" the cooperation possibilities between Rome and Rabat, recalled the conclusion last year of a bilateral friendship and cooperation accord.

Morocco's exports to Italy totalled 2.5 million Dh ($0.26 million) in 1996, making of this country Rabat's fourth-largest client.

In the same year, Italy was Morocco's fourth-largest supplier as the North African country imported 5.1 million Dh worth of Italian goods ($0.53 million).

Moroccan exports to Italy are made up mainly of fertilizers, sea products and consumption goods, while imports include industrial equipment, chemical products and cars.

Besides ways to enhance the bilateral economic relations, the Italian foreign minister will raise with the Moroccan authorities the thorny issue of illegal immigration.

Scores of Moroccan candidates for illegal immigration are regularly arrested or fished out dead as they try to enter Spain via the Gibraltar strait or Italy via Tunisia. Italy hopes to find a way to collaborate with the Moroccan authorities in the fight against illegal immigration.

Morocco already has a 115,000-strong expatriate community in Italy. The remittances of this community, the largest foreign colony in the European country, amounted to more than 1.2 million Dh in 1996. Most Moroccans living in Italy work in the industrial and services sectors.

Previous Stories:
  Moroccan premier denies reports of government reshuffle   (7/24/1998)
  Italy's foreign minister visits Morocco for closer cooperation   (7/22/1998)
  Algiers rejects mediation with Morocco   (7/21/1998)

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