Brazilian president hails Morocco's role in restoration of peace, stability in the world
Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, hailed, on Friday, Morocco's contribution to restoring peace, stability and social justice in the world.
Da Silva also praised the role king Mohammed VI played in building a democratic and modern society, underlined a joint release published after a series of talks and activities of king Mohammed VI in Brazil.
The document underlined that the two heads of state discussed during the visit bilateral cooperation, as well as regional and international issues.
In the bilateral level, the two sides highlighted the importance to encourage Moroccan and Brazilian economic operators to explore business opportunities in the two countries, noted the release.
They also underscored the need to promote sustainable development and cultural cooperation, and to reinforce dialogue between Morocco and Brazil in realms of common interest.
On Friday, Morocco and Brazil signed agreements on cooperation between the two countries' diplomacies, in addition to technical cooperation in the sector of tourism. A multilateral accord was also signed between Morocco and the south American group Mercosur (Brazil- Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay), providing for the creation of negotiation mechanisms to establish a free-trade zone.
According to the release, Political issues were also discussed during the visit of King Mohammed VI to Brazil, the second leg of a five-nation Latin American tour that also includes Mexico, Peru, Chile and Argentina. On the Sahara question, President Da Silva voiced support to the Security Council resolutions in order to reach a political negotiated and final solution to this regional conflict through dialogue between the concerned parties. This dispute opposes Morocco to the Algeria-backed Polisario separatists that are claiming the separation of the southern region of Morocco, known as the Sahara.
The Brazilian president also underscored Morocco's support to Brazil's efforts aiming at restoring a global partnership to eradicate hunger and poverty, and its backing to the south American country's initiative to organize a summit convening south American and Arab countries in May 2005, noted the joint release, recalling that Morocco will host in Marrakech next March a ministerial meeting as a preparation for the summit.
President Da Silva extended on Friday to king Mohammed VI the "Cruzeiro do Sul," the highest distinction offered in Brazil to heads of state and eminent foreign figures.
The state visit of king Mohammed VI to Brazil, the first of a Moroccan monarch to the country, confirms the particular interest granted to consolidating relations with Brazil that is a big economic power in the region.
