Morocco-EU political talks on fisheries resumed in rabat

European commissioner of agriculture and fisheries, Franz Fischler, and Moroccan fishery minister, Said Chbaatou, resumed in Rabat Tuesday political talks paving the way to a fishery agreement.

A new round of technical talks might follow if the two sides fail to settle pending issues termed Monday evening by Fischler as "very difficult."

Fischler is accompanied by the EC fishery director Stefen Smidt and ambassador to Rabat Lucio Guerrato.

Talks, started in September 2000, still stumble on the duration of the agreement, Morocco offering two years and Brussels trying to wrestle 4 to 5 years, and the number of European trawlers to operate in Moroccan waters.

Under the fishery agreement which expired in November 1999, some 600 European fishing boats, Spanish mostly, were allowed to fish off Moroccan shores, Rabat getting 125 million EUROS in annual compensation.