Morocco-european union fishery dialog to resume end september, EU says

Morocco and the European Union (EU) will resume on September 28-29 their dialog on the fisheries dossier, it was officially announced Friday in the EU capital of Brussels.

EU agriculture and fishery commissioner, Franz Fishler, voiced satisfaction over the upcoming meeting that will provide opportunity to explain EU views regarding the future of Morocco-EU cooperation in fisheries.

Morocco refused to renew a fisheries accord with the EU after it expired in November 1999. Rabat calls for new forms of partnership, other than direct fishing, between the two parties.

Morocco's decision forced hundreds of European trawlers, mainly Spanish and Portuguese, to berth.

Moroccan foreign affairs and cooperation minister, Mohamed Benaissa, had announced during a recent visit to Spain that Morocco and EU would resume dialog on fisheries by the end of September.

"The dialog would seek to prospect the possibilities of a new relationship in sea fishing matters," he had explained.