US and Morocco agree to enlarge joint military maneuvers

US Secretary of Defense, William Cohen, said in Marrakesh Friday he and King Mohammed VI have agreed during a meeting held on the same day to increase Moroccan-US joint military maneuvers.

In a press conference following his meeting with the Moroccan king, Cohen, who visited Morocco this Feb.11-12 as part of an African tour to South Africa and Nigeria, said the two country already conducting joint military actions in Kosovo and Bosnia will be enlarging the scope of their military cooperation to promote peace and stability in the region.

He added that a high ranking-Moroccan military and civil delegation will be travelling to Washington to explore opportunities of an enlarged dialogue to improve joint maneuvers and consider other multilateral initiatives with countries involved in the Mediterranean initiative of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Cohen also renewed the US administration's support to the UN settlement plan in the Sahara and stressed that closer cooperation with Algeria will never be at the detriment of Morocco.

The USA considers Morocco as a key factor of peace and stability in the region, he said adding that bilateral relations are braced to know a new momentum.

Cohen left Morocco this Saturday for South Africa. In addition to his talks with the Moroccan king, he visited a Moroccan air-force school in Marrakesh.