Moroccan parties renew people attachment to Morocco's territorial integrity

The Moroccan political parties taking part in the third Euro-Mediterranean conference of leftist parties renewed the attachment of all Moroccans to Morocco's territorial integrity.

Delegates of the Party for Progress and Socialism (PPS), the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP), the Istiqlal Party (PI), the Organization for Democratic and Popular Action (OADP) and the Social Democratic Party (PSD) renewed the Moroccan people's mobilization for the defense of the kingdom's southern provinces and deplored the stand of some leftist parties, mainly European, regarding the kingdom's national cause.

The delegates of these Moroccan leftist parties who were taking part in a special session on Morocco expounded the Moroccan democratic transition experience and latest developments in the Sahara issue and surveyed the evolution of the political situation with a special emphasis on steps covered in matters of consolidation of the rule of law, protection of human rights and promotion of freedoms.

The third Euro-Mediterranean conference of leftist parties, organized by the PPS, was held in Casablanca Jan. 5-7 under the topic "peace, solidarity and co-development in the Mediterranean." The conference-- held to follow up partnership between the Mediterranean northern and southern shores 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-- discussed peace and security in the Mediterranean, the Barcelona process and co-development and migration, cultural and human exchanges and civil society.

Delegates of some thirty Mediterranean leftist parties stressed the need to activate the Barcelona process and to promote cooperation through an economic, financial and technical partnership mutually beneficial to all the countries of the region.

They also dealt with the Palestinian people's fair cause and their right to an independent state with Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as its capital.

The fourth Euro-Mediterranean conference of leftist parties will be held in Naples in 2002.