British official hails Morocco's firm position on terrorism

British under-secretary of state for foreign affairs and the commonwealth in charge of the Middle-East and North Africa, Ben Bradshaw, hailed Morocco's firm position on terrorism as a model in mobilizing efforts to reach an international consensus for the promotion of peace and stability.

Britain is grateful to Morocco for the position expressed following the September 11 attacks in the USA, he told the Moroccan TV channel "TVM," citing as a concrete illustration of this the religious ceremony held in a church in Rabat, with participation of the three religions.

Morocco has an ancestral history in promoting the culture of tolerance and co-existence and has produced more than one evidence that Islam rejects fanaticism and violence, he went on.

Asked on the Sahara issue, the British official answered that his government encourages Morocco and Algeria to overcome present constraints, in conformity with decisions of the UN secretary general's special envoy, James Baker, insisting that dialogue is the adequate way to ensure factors of stability, development and progress in the Maghreb countries. He also argued that any initiative seeking to achieve prosperity in the region should be flexible and good-intentioned.

Of Moroccan-British relations, Bradshaw said the two countries enjoy excellent political and economic relations, as showed by the progression of bilateral trade in the ten last years.

He also noted the significant progress made in human rights and democracy in Morocco.

The British official started on Monday his work visit to Morocco.