Moroccan media, associations lash out at Mrs Mitterrand's hostile stand towards Morocco's territorial integrity

Several Moroccan newspapers and associations have lashed out at Mrs Mitterrand, spouse of the late French president Francois Mitterand, for her hostile stand regarding Morocco's territorial integrity.

The newspapers and associations vehemently criticized Danielle Mitterrand, chairwoman of the France Libert? Foundation, for the statements she made during a visit to the polisario-controlled camps in Tindouf, south-western Algeria.

The statements made by Mitterrand-who is visiting Morocco since Monday-is siding with the polisario separatists' stands and hurts the feelings and sacred values of the Moroccan people, they argued.

Mrs Mitterrand is not welcome in Morocco in view of her blatant hostility towards Morocco and its territorial integrity, chairman of Al Majal association, Maher Reddad, told MAP. He said the association refused a request to meet her, because of her backing to a gang of mercenaries.

The executive bureau of the Front of Democratic Forces party (FFD/in the coalition government) also condemned Mitterrand's statements in Tindouf as hurting the Moroccan people's patriotic feelings. The bureau said in a release issued Sunday the FFD is opposed to her visit.

Al Ittihad Al Ichtiraki, daily of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) of Premier Abderrahmane Youssoufi, wrote Tuesday that while Morocco's gates are open to all, as evidenced by its legendary hospitality, the country, with all its components is today forced to say that the wife of the late French president is persona non grata, for, the daily stated further, this lady has a hostile stand regarding the kingdom's territorial integrity and had made statements harming the Moroccan identity of the Sahara. She stages an insidious campaign against Morocco and its Sahara, the daily wrote, adding the woman would have been welcome had she been neutral, and had she wished to know the facts and the truths.

The daily denounced her prejudices and pre-conceived ideas on Morocco's national cause as well as the fact that she stands as a party in an issue that is of no concern to her.

In the same vein, Al Mithaq Al Watani, daily of the National rally of Independents (RNI/in the governmental coalition) criticized statements by the head of France-Libert?s association, saying these statements are merely meant to put her person and her association under the spot of light and bring them out of oblivion. The daily deplored that the chairwoman of a foundation that bears the name of liberty actually forgets that the very essence of liberty lies in the preservation of liberty, mainly through the stability of states.

Attorney from the Marrakresh lawyers'bar and chairman of the committee of human rights defense, Ahmed Abadarrine, on his part accepted to meet and actually met Mrs Mitterrand on Monday.

He told MAP the meeting was an opportunity to tell the woman that her backing to the separatists' stand was an irresponsible stance.

The Algeria-backed polisario separatists are claiming sovereignty over the Moroccan southern provinces that were formerly under Spanish rule and that were retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accords.