Reopening of Moroccan-Algerian land borders only a question of technical procedures, Moroccan spokesman

The reopening of land borders between Morocco and Algeria is only a question of technical and security procedures, the spokesman of the Moroccan government, Khalid Alioua, said Thursday in Rabat.

Alioua, who is also minister in charge of social development, solidarity, employment and vocational training, said it is necessary to settle some technical and security aspects before opening borders, adding that the visit paid on Thursday to Algeria by Moroccan Foreign Minister Mohamed Benaissa "aims to improve and maintain neighborliness in a way that bilateral relations become normal."

Alioua also recalled that since Morocco's Socialist-led coalition government was appointed in March 1998, Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi has repeatedly called for the reopening of borders.

On the morrow of the election last April of Bouteflika as Algerian president, relations between Morocco and Algeria started to improve. The late King Hassan II and the Algerian president had exchanged warm messages, heralding a new page in bilateral relations.

President Bouteflika said earlier this week in an interview with a Kuwaiti daily that relations between Morocco and Algeria will be normalized in "a very near future."