King of Morocco meets French FM

King Hassan II of Morocco, who is undertaking this July 12-15 an official visit to France, held on Tuesday a meeting with French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine.

On the second day of his visit to France, the king also received the managers of major French enterprises and of French media organizations.

On the same day, the sovereign held tete-a-tete talks with French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin. A first round of talks with French President Jacques Chirac was held on Monday.

The French media unanimously noted the red-carpet welcome given to the Moroccan king who was received at the airport by the French president.

King Hassan II who was the guest of honor at the July 14 traditional military parade, held on the occasion of France's national day, is scheduled to hold another meeting with the French head of state.

A detachment of the Moroccan royal guard took part this Wednesday in the parade in recognition of the Moroccan army's participation in the allied victory of 1945. This is the first time in France that a non-European army is taking part in the annual parade of July 14.