Morocco, US to sign open skies agreement

Moroccan transport and merchant-navy minister Abdeslam Znined and American peer Rodney Slater announced in Washington Wednesday they have initialed an open skies agreement.

Slater said the agreement is a major gain for economic exchanges and tourism and will boost cooperation air-companies as well as bilateral ties at large.

The agreement to be signed shortly in Rabat or Washington, after approval of authorities and parliaments of the two countries, will help operators benefit in the mean-time of perks and opportunities offered by the new regime.

The Moroccan side said the kingdom meets all technical and safety requirements for an open skies agreement thanks to performing infrastructure, safe and well-equipped air-space, regulations and procedures of international standards and skilled and reliable staff.

For the head of the US aviation department Thomas White, the accord is a one more cue to the private sector and the fruit of negotiations by the Moroccan carrier Royal Air Maroc and the US Delta Airlines on a code-sharing use of their respective networks.