No meeting held between Moroccan premier and Algerian counterpart
Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 8/20/1998

Morocco denied on Wednesday that Moroccan premier, Abderrahmane Youssoufi, had met lately in Oran his Algerian peer, Ahmed Ouayahia, as reported by the Algerian daily al-Watan.

The denial was made by Moroccan Communication Minister Larbi Messari in a statement to the British Broadcasting Service "BBC. " The news reported by the Algerian paper is "fabricated and baseless," Messari said, affirming that the Moroccan premier is currently in France regular medical check-ups.

Al-Watan reported on Wednesday that the Moroccan and Algerian prime ministers met secretly in Oran (western Algeria) to study the conditions of normalizing relations between the two neighboring states.

Relations between Morocco and Algeria are strained due to Algeria's direct involvement in the Sahara issue and after Algerian-born French nationals perpetrated in 1994 a terrorist attack against a luxury hotel in Marrakesh (Southern Morocco). The attack cost the lives of two Spanish tourists.

Morocco imposed afterwards an entry visa for Algerians wishing to visit the Kingdom, while Algeria retaliated by closing its land border with Morocco.

Moroccan Premier Abderrahmane Youssoufi, has launched repeated calls to Algeria to start a new page with Morocco through the opening of the borders and the suppression of visa requirements. However, Algeria said it has not received so far any concrete proposal in this direction and that they only knew about the Moroccan initiatives through the press.

Previous Stories:
  Sahrawi state seems only alternative for Algeria   (8/5/1998)
  Algiers rejects mediation with Morocco   (7/21/1998)
  Algeria hints at a solution to better relations with Morocco   (6/30/1998)

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