Arab League backs Morocco's territorial integrity

Arab League Secretary General, Amr Moussa, on Tuesday renewed backing to Morocco's kingty over the Mediterranean islet of Tourah, after a visit to the Benyounech area overlooking the island.

The pan-Arab League chief told MAP news agency his visit to the area was meant to "have a closer look" at the islet and "set foot on this Moroccan and Arab land."

The Tourah Island, a Moroccan piece of land, was occupied and then evacuated by Spain last July.

Moussa said his Cairo-based organization "backs Morocco's standpoint and encourages dialogue to reach final solutions preserving Arab rights."

"We closely followed the previous negotiations and we are doing the same with the ones to come between the foreign ministers of Morocco and Spain," said Moussa. He added the League keeps member countries informed of the developments of the Tourah islet issue, based on the backing to the Moroccan standpoint and rights and on the encouragement of dialogue to settle pending issues between Morocco and Spain.

Moussa is currently visiting Morocco to attend the international festival of Asilah, a Moroccan northern town.