Morocco calls for averting escalation in UN-Iraq crisis

Morocco wishes that escalation will be averted in the UN-Iraq standoff and calls for cooperation between Iraq and the world body.

In a press briefing Thursday following the weekly meeting of the government, Khalid Alioua, spokesman of the Moroccan government noted that there is "some delay" in lifting the eight-year long embargo against Iraq and deplored the disaster situation facing the Iraqi people.

Meanwhile, the Rabat bar association expressed solidarity with the Iraqi people and deep concerns over the US threats to wage a new aggression against the Iraqi people. The association released a statement calling for the lifting of the unfair embargo against Iraq.

The Rabat attorneys also urged the Gulf countries to oppose US aggression attempts, by refusing to allow US forces to use their territories to attack Iraq and clearing their territorial and international waters from the presence of US war ships that threaten security and peace in Iraq. They likewise called the Arab states and the international community to shoulder their full responsibility by endeavoring to lift the sanctions as Iraq has lived up to all its commitments.