Israeli foreign minister ends visits to Morocco

Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy on Saturday wound up a visit to Morocco during which he briefed King Mohammed VI on latest developments in the Middle East peace process, mainly the results of the recent Israeli-Syrian talks in the USA.

Levy expressed satisfaction at his visit to the Kingdom-- started on Jan. 13-- and said he reviewed with Moroccan officials various issues, topped by the situation in the Middle East.

He went on that Israel has always granted a great importance to Morocco which enjoys the trust of the international community. Under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, Morocco is carrying on the work accomplished under the reign of the late King Hassan II, to support the various stages of the peace process, he said.

Levy, a Moroccan-born Jew, met during his stay in Morocco Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi, Foreign Minister Mohamed Benaissa, and king's advisor, Andre Azoulay.

Born in Morocco in 1937, Levy left the Kingdom for Israel in 1957. He attended in Rabat last July the funeral of the late King Hassan II.

Following the signing of the Israeli-Palestinian peace accords in Washington in 1993, the then Israeli prime minister, the late Yitzhak Rabin, and the then foreign minister, Shimon Peres, had stopped over in Morocco to brief the late King Hassan II on the agreement.

Morocco and Israel, which do not have full diplomatic relations, opened liaison offices in 1995.