Khaddafi, King Mohammed hold talks in Tripoli

Morocco's King Mohammed VI who started Monday an official visit to Libya held in the evening tete-a-tete talks with Libyan Leader Mouammar khaddafi.

The king, who is visiting Libya for the first time since his enthronement in July 1999, was earlier guest to a dinner banquet hosted in his honor.

Khaddafi decorated on the occasion the king with Libya's highest distinction, the September 1st Great Cordon, as a token of brotherhood ties binding the two countries and of the consideration the Libyan leader and people vow to their guest.

A second round of talks between the two heads of state is scheduled for this Tuesday.

The Moroccan-Libyan political talks scheduled during the visit are expected to open new prospects to bilateral relations, especially in economic realms and to consolidate consultation and coordination at the bilateral level as well as at the Maghreban, Arab, African and Mediterranean levels.

Morocco and Libya are both member of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA) together with Algeria, Mauritania and Tunisia.

The UMA, set up in Marrakesh in 1989, came to a standstill due to strained relations between Morocco and Algeria over Algiers' direct involvement in the Sahara issue.

Moroccan newspapers of all trends issued this Tuesday lavishly commented on the royal visit to Libya, pointing out that the Moroccan-Libyan summit meeting is a stride towards the reactivation of the UMA mechanisms and an opportunity to encourage other Maghreb countries enhance their cooperation.

They expressed hope that the visit would help materialize Maghreban people's aspirations to overcome divisions and artificial disputes and make of the UMA a bridge to genuine cooperation and development.