King Mohammed sends message to Egyptian president on Iraqi war, Palestinian issue

Morocco's King Mohammed VI sent a message to the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on the "serious developments" on the Arab scene with regard to the war on Iraq, as well as on the Palestinian issue.

The message was handed on Thursday to the Egyptian head of state by Morocco's Foreign Affairs and Cooperation minister, Mohamed Benaissa, in the presence of Egyptian peer, Ahmed Maher and Morocco's ambassador to Cairo, Ali Oumlil.

Benaissa told reporters King Mohammed VI's message to President Mubarak concerns "the serious developments" of the situation in the Arab states with regards to the war in Iraq and its fallbacks.

Morocco and Egypt will carry on efforts in order to put an end to this war and circumvent its serious repercussions so as to preserve security and stability of the region, he stressed.

The message also concerns the Palestinian issue and efforts aiming to resume Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, inter-Arab relations and the serious situation in certain regions of Africa, the Moroccan official went on.

Touching on bilateral relations, Benaissa recalled the sovereign's "commitment to intensify consultation and coordination with President Hosni Mubarak and the brotherly state of Egypt."

He expressed satisfaction as to the progress of bilateral ties across the board, stressing that Rabat and Cairo are endeavouring to best serve the interests of Moroccan and Egyptian peoples, along with those of the Arab Nation.

Maher, on his part, praised Morocco-Egypt bilateral relations, as well as "the high level" coordination between the two states, emphasizing that these relations are "solid and exceptional" at this critical phase.

He added that the Moroccan King's message to President Mubarak is part of consultations on the developments of war in Iraq, the Palestinian, inter-Arab and African issues.

The two parties agreed to convene their joint commission under the co-chairmanship of heads of state, at a date to be determined soon, he went on.