Morocco will not renew fisheries accord with E.U.
Morocco, Economics, 11/11/1998

Moroccan minister in charge of fisheries Thami Khyari on Tuesday informed Spanish officials that Morocco will not renew the four-year fisheries accord signed with the European Union in November 1995 and that expires in 1999.

Khyari who is on working visit to Spain informed the Spanish minister of agriculture, food and fisheries, Loyola De Palacios, about the kingdom's decision at a meeting here.

Khyari told MAP bureau in Madrid that the decision is not directed against Spain, as the two friendly and neighbor countries are bound by a rich historical heritage and a shared future.

Spain is among the European countries that benefit from the Morocco-European Union fisheries accord under which nearly 600 European trawlers, mainly Spanish and Portuguese, operate in Moroccan waters.

The decision, Khyari said, was dictated by the need to protect the country's depleting sea resources and by the government's determination to consolidate the role played by the fisheries sector in economic and social development.

"We shall engage consultations in order to find new cooperation formula," he said.

Morocco which announced its decision not to renew the fisheries accord some time ago said it will propose to Spain and Portugal another cooperation and partnership formula, providing for the promotion of sea products industries, scientific research, vocational training, shipyards as well as the modernization and extension of Moroccan fishing ports.

Khyari visited Lisbon some ten days ago to attend the works of the Moroccan-Portuguese fisheries joint commission that examined bilateral cooperation in matters of scientific research, fisheries industries and maritime training.

Previous Stories:
  Moroccan fisheries minister in Madrid   (11/10/1998)
  Moroccan fisheries minister in Lisbon   (10/31/1998)
  Morocco will not renew fishing accord with EU   (10/28/1998)

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