Euro-mediterranean leftist parties meet in Casablanca

Leftist parties from the European Union and south Mediterranean countries will be holding this Jan.5-7 in Casablanca a meeting sponsored by the Party for Progress and Socialism (PPS/former communist party).

A member of the PPS political bureau and of the organization committee, Said Saadi, said the conference titled "pace, solidarity and co-development in the Mediterranean" is held to follow up partnership between the Mediterranean northern and southern banks started in the Barcelona conference of 1994 and in the morrow of the 4th conference of Euro-Mediterranean foreign ministers last November in Marseilles, France.

Participants will represent over thirty political parties from the region, except for Israeli, said organizers.

It will debate conflicts in the region, especially the situation in the Middle East and the heroic struggle of the Palestinian people to obtain its inalienable rights. The second axis deals with the need to re-launch the Barcelona process and overcome its present limitations to ensure a lasting development for all the Mediterranean populations.

He added that the importance of the theme of migrations and cultural exchanges lies in the fact that the movement of people are likely to establish mutual trust, so essential to reduce pre-conceived ideas about each other.

A special session on Morocco will present the Moroccan democratic transition experience and latest developments in the Sahara issue.