Morocco-EU future relations promising, Moroccan fm

Morocco's minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Mohamed Benaissa, who is on a working visit to Brussels, said Thursday future relations between Morocco and the European Union (EU) are promising.

Following a meeting he had with EU's External Relations Commissioner, Chris Patten, Benaissa, he said Morocco is being encouraged by the Union's "full readiness" to further consolidate its partnership with Morocco.

EU's readiness to consolidate partnership with Morocco will also be an appropriate atmosphere for the third Association Council's meeting due next February, at ministerial level, as provided for by Morocco-EU Association Accord, he said.

Patten stressed that the Union was encouraged by the progress that was achieved in the implementation of the south-Mediterranean Free Trade Zone, gathering Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan -- all parties to Agadir Declaration.

Other issues related to the resumption of agricultural negotiations, within the Association Accord framework, which EU hopes to conclude by the end of the year, and judiciary cooperation concerning illegal immigration still need more consultation, added Patten.

Morocco-EU relations and the way in which they could be boosted topped Benaissa's meeting with EU's High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana on Wednesday.

Benaissa also had talks with the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, the President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox, as well as with Belgium Foreign minister, Louis Michel.