US congressmen set up Friends of Morocco in the United States congress

A group of 110 members of the US House of Representatives and Senate have set up an association that they called "Friends of Morocco in the United States Congress."

In a "statement of friendship," the 110 republican and democrat signatory congressmen, including the speaker of the House of Representatives, J. Dennis Hastert say "under the leadership of His Majesty King Hassan II, Morocco has repeatedly demonstrated its resolve to foster the advancement of justice, democracy and human rights nationally and through its role in the international community."

The statement also points out that the "United States and Morocco share an uninterrupted period of friendship starting with Morocco being the first nation to recognize the Independence of the United States of America and to have signed in 1787 a treaty of friendship and cooperation, the first of its kind concluded by the young republic."

The congressmen noted that the two countries "continue to share common values of liberty, democracy and peace as well as common interests and goals in global security, particularly in Africa, the Middle East and the Mediterranean region."

For the signatories, "the continued maintenance of stability in the Maghreb region and its environs, depends in great measure on the capacity of Morocco to continue to function as a stable and free country for all its people, advocating modernity and progress while being respectful of its own culture and heritage."

The signatories pledge to endeavor, in the framework of the new caucus for the continued enhancement of awareness of the role of Morocco and its king in the middle east peace process, promotion of goodwill and understanding between the two nations, expansion of trade and investment and increase of cultural exchange.

The signatory congress members include outstanding figures such as senators Ted Stevens, chairman of the budget appropriations committee, and Orrin Hatch, chairman of the judiciary affairs committee and representatives Benjamin Gilman, chairman of the international relations committee, Henry Hyde, chairman of the judiciary affairs committee, Floyd Spence, chairman of the armed forces committee, Tom Bliley, chairman of the trade committee and Sony Callahan, chairman of the foreign operations committee. The document also bears the signature of other influential representatives such as James Clyburn, chairman of the Black caucus.

In a letter accompanying the document, the speaker of the house of representatives congratulates King Hassan II on the occasion of the throne day (marked on March 3), and "pays tribute to (your) wise leadership which for thirty eight years has steered (your) country on a path of friendship with the United States. "We also honor your leadership in the quest for peace, prosperity and dignity for your people and of all those in the region," the letter says.

The association is set as US first lady Hilary Rodham Clinton is expected by end of this month in Morocco and as two delegations of US legislators are planning to visit Morocco next April. A delegation of congressmen staffers is also expected in Morocco in the coming month.

The move follows suit to a letter sent to US President, Bill Clinton in July 1998. A total of 92 senators and members of the house of representatives had urged Clinton "to undertake all appropriate steps to strengthen American-Moroccan cooperation" on the basis of shared values and interests, in view of the close link existing between stability, security and economic development.

Clinton had responded in a letter to the congressmen that the two countries share a common resolve to advance peace, stability, prosperity and democracy.

The U.S administration had also backed in August the congress call for the consolidation of Moroccan-U.S ties and said it supports strong U.S-Moroccan relations.

The July's letter had described Morocco "as a tolerant, multi-ethnic Islamic society" which "continues to stand as a bulwark against the extremism prevalent in the region." The congressmen had commanded "Morocco's commitment to democracy and human rights as an example for the region" and as "the first nation in the region where opposition parties came to power freely and peacefully through popular elections."