German deputy foreign minister confers with Moroccan officials

German deputy foreign minister, Ludger Volmer, who is currently on a visit to Morocco held talks in Rabat Monday with several Moroccan officials, including Premier Abderrahmane Youssoufi.

Youssoufi hailed on the occasion Germany's stand on Morocco's territorial integrity and its backing to the draft framework agreement on the status of the Sahara.

The framework agreement was proposed by the Secretary general of the United Nations, in line with the efforts deployed by the Secretary General and his Personal Envoy in favor of an alternative to the settlement plan on the Sahara, which came to a deadlock.

Youssoufi also called for enhancing trade exchanges, promoting investments and increasing the flow of German tourists visiting Morocco.

The Moroccan Premier lauded Germany for its position on the Middle East issue and underlined that the best international response to the events of September 11 lies in finding adequate settlement to world conflicts.

The German official underscored Morocco's key role at the level of the Arab and Islamic world and stressed the need for the Arab-Islamic world and for the European Union to join efforts to establish peace and security in the Midde East region.

He equally underlined the importance Germany grants to dialogue with the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA, mustering Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia) as a united bloc, since it is a link between Europe and Africa and a partner in the Euro-Mediterranean space.

Ludger Volmer held similar meetings with the speakers of the two chambers of the parliament, Abdelouahed Radi and Mustapha Oukacha.

Besides bilateral relations, and the economic opportunities offered to foreign investors by Morocco, these separate talks covered the constitutional, institutional and legislative reforms ushered in by Morocco to consolidate the rule of the law and human rights as well as Morocco's determination to see to the transparency and fairness of the coming elections-scheduled for September 2002-through new mechanisms easing loyal competitiveness between political parties.

The German official had earlier in the day conferred with advisor to the king, Andre Azoulay, over means to upgrade cooperation ties between Morocco and Germany and to encourage German investors do business in Morocco, especially in key sectors like tourism, electronics and car-making.