Moroccan premier receives Algerian ambassador
Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 10/1/1998

Morocco's Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi received on Tuesday in Rabat the Algerian ambassador to Morocco, Mihoub Mihoubi, the Algerian News Agency APS reported.

The two men reviewed ways to develop relations between Morocco and Algeria, APS said.

Youssoufi's government has repeatedly voiced its interest in normalizing relations between Morocco and Algeria through reopening the land borders that were closed in 1994.

Relations between the two Maghreban countries 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 hotel in Marrakesh (southern Morocco), killing two Spanish tourists.

Subsequently, Morocco imposed entry visas for Algerians wishing to visit the kingdom, while Algeria retaliated by closing land borders with Morocco.

The initiatives launched by the Moroccan government were met with an Algerian adherence to addressing bilateral relations in a "global approach." Such an Algerian response was deplored by the Moroccan Prime Minister, who deems the closure of borders detrimental to both the Moroccan and Algerian peoples.

The Algerian diplomat informed the Moroccan premier on the evolution of the situation in Algeria in light of the decision by Algerian President Liamine Zeroual to hold early presidential elections next year, the source said.

In a related development, Algeria said that meetings between Algerian diplomats and Moroccan officials prove that contacts are maintained.

Diplomatic channels are the preferred means of contacts between the two countries, and the meetings between Algerian diplomats and senior Moroccan officials prove that contacts are maintained, said Algerian communication and culture minister, Habib Chawki Hamraoui.

"There exist between the two neighbor countries (Morocco and Algeria) relations that Algiers respect," Hamraoui, who is also government spokesman, told Algerian reporters.

He added that his country tries to avoid interfering with other states' internal affairs and wishes prosperity to the countries of the region.

Previous Stories:
  Filali: Morocco -Algeria relations should wait until after Algerian elections   (9/29/1998)
  Sahara issue will be settled through referendum, Algeria says   (9/21/1998)
  Algeria wants to handle ties with Morocco within global approach   (9/21/1998)

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