Libyan president meets Moroccan delegation, strengthening relations

Libyan President Moammar Gaddafi met with a visiting Moroccan official delegation representing King Hassan II in the festivities marking Libya's national day, it was officially announced in Rabat.

The chamber of advisors (Morocco's upper legislative body) whose speaker, Mohammed Jalal Essaid, led the delegation that included Education Minister Ismail Alaoui said they extended to Gaddafi the king's greetings and best wishes of good health.

The statement said relations between the two North African states were also reviewed at a meeting with the secretary of the Libyan general popular committee, Ahmed Al Mankouch.

Talks covered means of consolidating bilateral relations in the light of the results of the higher joint commission's meeting held in recently in Morocco.

The speaker also held a work session with the secretary general of the people's general congress, Zanati Mohammed Zanati, on cooperation between the two parliaments and the need to intensify the exchange of visits and experience and coordinate stances during international parliamentary encounters.

The Moroccan education minister also held a meeting with Libyan counterpart Mahdi Meftah Ambirech on cooperation in education and scientific research.

King Hassan II had sent Gaddafi a congratulation message on the occasion of Libya's national day, commemorated on September 1.

In the message, the king expressed wishes for the unification of the Arab - Islamic nation and the "success of its leaders actions meant to materialize aspirations of the coming generations for dignity, greatness, unity and fraternity so that the nation enjoys the respect of the peoples and contribute, thanks to its genius, to disseminate friendship, prosperity and peace."

Essaid told Libyan news agency JANA that the Moroccan king, government and people support Libya in the Lockerbie affair, opposing it to the USA.