EU's new neighborhood policy is no alternative to Euro-Mediterranean process, official

Morocco considers that the New Neighborhood Policy launched this year by Europe should not be an alternative to the Euro-Mediterranean process which is a reference, said here Tuesday an official from the Moroccan ministry of foreign affairs.

EU's new approach to relations with neighboring countries "should allow the extension of the current framework for a better performance of this partnership," Menouar Allem, Ambassador and Director of European affairs at the ministry, said.

Christian Leffler who was addressing a conference at the Rabat Faculty of Law termed "legitimate" Morocco's request for an "advanced status" in its relations with the EU, in view of the "considerable economic efforts" accomplished in recent years by this country.