King Mohammed sends message to Russia's Putin

Moroccan state minister, Abbas Fassi, currently on visit to Moscow, on Thursday handed Russia's Foreign Affairs minister, Igor Ivanov a message from King Mohammed VI to President Vladimir Putin.

During the meeting, Ivanov expressed to the Moroccan official Putin and the Russian people's "sincere congratulations" on the occasion of the birth of Crown Prince Moulay Al-Hassan.

Fassi told MAP that he had studied Ivanov the Moroccan Sahara issue, particularly the content of the new plan presented by United Nations' Secretary General's Personal Envoy for the Sahara, James Baker. He stressed that Ivanov expressed Moscow's understanding of the Moroccan position.

"We consider that the settlement of this issue lies in a political solution as it was understood by Ivanov," said Fassi.

The Moroccan official further noted that "the political solution is the unique possible way that guarantees peace and Morocco's sovereignty over its territories, which is the reason why we should be going back to Baker's framework agreement presented in 2001."

Fassi stressed confidence that "Russia remains committed to justice and fairness of our cause," he went on.

The talks that were held in presence of Morocco's ambassador to Russia, Abdelmalek Jeddaoui, probed Moscow-Rabat bilateral cooperation and the situation in the Middle East and Iraq.

Both sides stressed that King Mohammed VI's visit to Russia, last October, gave new impetus to these relations, recalling that during this visit Morocco and Russia signed a declaration on strategic partnership as well as a train of agreements on high sea fishing, space and telecommunications.