Morocco profoundly grateful to Algeria's Bouteflika

Morocco said it was profoundly grateful to Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika for his feelings of sympathy following the demise of the late King Hassan II.

"The government (of Morocco) expresses its profound gratefulness to his excellency President Abdelaziz Bouteflika for his reaction following the demise of H.M King Hassan II," the spokesman for the Moroccan government, Khalid Alioua, said at a press briefing held at the end of the weekly meeting of the government council, chaired by Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi.

President Bouteflika was among the world leaders who attended Sunday in Rabat the funerals of the late King Hassan II, who passed away last Friday at the age of 70.

Morocco is also grateful to President Bouteflika for "his presence during the funerals of the late King and for the two messages he sent to H.M King Mohammed Ben Al-Hassan II and to Prince Moulay Rachid," the spokesman said.

These messages "are full of hope" as to the future of relations between Morocco and Algeria.

In his message to King Mohammed Ben Al-Hassan, Bouteflika stressed, "I envision the future with optimism, being convinced that my late brother (King Hassan II) bequeathed to Morocco a courageous king, able to preserve the legacy."

He also voiced "firm" determination to work hand in hand with King Mohammed Ben Al-Hassan for the materialization of the aspirations of the Moroccan and Algerian peoples and those of all the Arab Maghreb.

In his message to Prince Moulay Rachid, youngest son of the late King Hassan II, Bouteflika voiced "readiness to suppress the ephemeral stumbling blocks" that hampered Moroccan-Algerian relations.