US Senate confirms Riley as ambassador to Morocco

The US senate confirmed in a hearing held this week, Thomas Riley as US ambassador to Morocco, in replacement of Margaret Tutwiler who was nominated under-secretary for public diplomacy.

Riley, whose nomination to the post in Morocco was announced last October 6, had welcomed in a previous hearing of the Senate foreign relations committee the political, economic and social reforms undertaken "with courage" by Morocco, citing "the successful local elections" held on September 12 in the kingdom as well the reform of the family code -- announced by King Mohammed VI last October 10 -- that gives more rights to women, and which he described as "a major and revolutionary law for the rights of women and children."

The US diplomat who had served as CEO of several enterprises also vowed to "fully support efforts by the Moroccan government to work closely with other parties in the region and with the UN Secretary General's Personal Envoy (James Baker) to the Sahara, to find a lasting solution that can guarantee peace and prosperity" for the region. The US diplomat was referring to Algeria and to the Algeria-backed separatist movement "Polisario" claiming independence of the Sahara, a former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid Accords.

He further explained that it is in the United States' long term interest to show their support to the government of Morocco while it pursues the fight against terrorism and takes bold measures for the strengthening of democracy, economic openness and the defense of rights of women and children.