Moroccan - European talks over fisheries resume friday

A new round of talks between Morocco and the European Union over fisheries will be held on Friday in Rabat, a source at the European Commission said.

The new "technical meeting" is held as the two sides parted last week without reaching any agreement.

According to the source, the two sides have pledged "flexibility" to reach a balanced agreement, after Morocco refused to renew in Nov. 1999 the four-year fisheries agreement.

European agriculture and fisheries commissioner, Franz Fishler said he was in close contact with Moroccan officials to make things move forward. He also recalled that the European fishery ministers are supporting the commission in its bid to reach, before end of this year, a mutually-satisfactory agreement. In case no agreement is reached, the commission will be proposing a specific program to restructure the European fleet which used to operate in Moroccan waters.

He also invited the commission to extend the present subsidy system to the European professionals.