King Mohammed'svisit to spain is a very friendly gesture, Matutes says

The private visit King Mohammed VI pays to Spain Wednesday has been described by Spanish foreign minister, Abel Matutes, as "a very friendly gesture towards Spain."

Matutes told reporters here Tuesday that the visit would enable the two countries "to carry on their permanent dialogue that has always been fruitful and friendly," expressing hope that the sovereign's visit will "be crowned with positive results."

King Mohammed VI is visiting Spain today at the invitation of King Juan Carlos, and will be host to a luncheon at the Lazarzuela palace. The statement by the official spokesman of the Moroccan royal palace announcing the trip said it is part of the special relations between the Spanish and Moroccan royal families.

The king will return home on the same day in the afternoon.

Matutes added that there are much more things that unite Morocco and Spain than things that separate them.

The Spanish media lavishly commented on the royal trip to Spain that it described as "important."

The visit is taking place at a time bilateral relations are going through a special period, the media said adding that the trip "might contribute to clear out the clouds that have been looming on Moroccan-Spanish relations during the past few months."

Relations between Morocco and Spain have been marked during the past months by problems related to the issue of fisheries--after Morocco refused to renew the fisheries accord with the European Union when it expired last november-- the marketing of Moroccan tomatoes in the EU countries and the recent incidents in El-Egido where Moroccan immigrants were prey to racist acts, the media recalled.