Morocco, Britain discuss bilateral relations, impact of terror attacks against US
British Foreign Office Minister Ben Bradshaw conferred on Tuesday here with several members of the Moroccan cabinet on bilateral relations, regional issues and ways to combat terrorism.
Bradshaw met Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi to whom he expressed the thanks of the British government and people for Morocco's sympathy with and support to the United States following the September 11 attacks and for its firm stand against terrorism.
Youssoufi told the Moroccan TV channel RTM, the meeting surveyed bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern, as well as Morocco's territorial integrity. He said he thanked the British official for his country's support to the initiative conducted by the UN personal representative for the Sahara, James baker.
Bradshaw said later at a press briefing that the Sahara issue was impeding a comprehensive development of the Maghreb region. The settlement of the issue would give a new impetus to cooperation in the Arab Maghreb region, he said, hailing the progress that has been realized so far.
The two sides also discussed the Middle East crisis and stressed the need to put an end to the daily violence targeting the Palestinian people, Youssoufi said.
The necessity to back the Palestinian people's right to establish an independent state on their land was equally stressed by Moroccan minister of Spatial Planning, Urban Managing, Housing and Environment, Mohamed El Yazghi, at the meeting he held with Bradshaw.
El Yazghi also called for putting an end to the sufferings of the Iraqi people.
Dealing with the current international crisis resulting from the terror attacks against New York and Washington and their impact at the international and regional levels, El Yazghi renewed Morocco firm condemnation of terrorism and said struggle against terrorism imposes the consolidation of democracy.
The same topics were discussed at the separate meetings Bradshaw held with minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Mohamed Benaissa, and minister of human rights, Mohamed Aujjar.
At a press briefing Tuesday evening, Bradshaw hailed Morocco's firm stand against terrorism and said that in order to fight terrorism, the international community should not only coordinate efforts to stop the spread of the phenomenon but should also tackle poverty and grievances that nurture terrorism. Struggle against terrorism necessarily goes through the promotion of democratic values, he insisted.
He added that his talks with Moroccan officials dealt with ways to enhance bilateral relations, mainly in the economic realm, as well as with regional and international issues of mutual concern. The latest developments of the situation in the Middle East were also brought up, he said, stressing the need to instill a new impetus to the peace process and to reach a fair, comprehensive settlement to the Palestinian issue.
Bradshaw arrived in Rabat on Monday after visiting neighboring Algeria at the weekend. He was also expected to meet Mourad Cherif, chairman of Morocco's largest private conglomerate, the ONA Group.
