Morocco's premier meets Japanese external trade organization president

Moroccan prime minister, Abderrahmane Youssoufi, met in Rabat Monday President of the Japanese External Trade Organization (JETRO), Noboru Hatakeyama, over Morocco-Japan commercial and financial ties.

Youssoufi called for updating the legal framework regulating bilateral cooperation and to sign new conventions, especially to protect investment and avoid double taxation.

The two parties probed regional cooperation, particularly the G8's initiative concerning a development plan in the framework of a partnership between Africa and industrialized countries.

Hatakeyama, who met several other Moroccan officials, namely minister of human rights, Mohammed Aujjar, speaker of the house of advisors, Mustapha Oukacha, and state secretary of foreign affairs and cooperation, Taib Fassi Fihri, signed Monday with minister of economy, finance, privatization and tourism, Fathallah Oulaalou, a memorandum of understanding on the promotion of Morocco-Japan commercial exchanges and investment.

The JETRO chief voiced his country's hope that Morocco will take part in the 2005 international fair to be held in Japan under the theme "the wisdom of nature."