Portugal supports Morocco's claim for above-association status with eu

Portuguese Foreign Affairs minister Antonio Manuel De Mendonça Da Cruz said his country supports Morocco's desire for a status that is above the association agreement with the EU.

The head of Portugal's diplomacy, who voiced his country's stand in a press statement shortly before meeting on Monday, Moroccan Premier, Driss Jettou, said his talks with Moroccan officials zeroed in on ways to develop economic cooperation.

"The Portuguese Prime Minister will visit Morocco next May, heading a ministerial delegation, to draft an agenda featuring mainly economic and cultural issues," he said.

De Mendonça Da Cruz voiced Portugal's "firm will" to invest in Morocco, adding that a Portuguese business delegation will visit the Kingdom shortly to probe investments opportunities in tourism, infrastructure, electronic chip-making, telecommunications, and car industry.

While terming as "excellent" bilateral relations, he noted that Portugal and Morocco "have not had any conflict since the 16th century, which is rare."

De Mendonça Da Cruz was received earlier in the day by King Mohammed VI and had talks with Morocco's Foreign Affairs and Cooperation minister, Mohamed Benaissa.