Moroccan premier receives French senator

Moroccan Premier Abderrahmane Youssoufi, conferred in Rabat on Friday with Xavier De Villepin, president of the Foreign Affairs, Defense and armed Forces Committee at the French Senate.

Talks dealt with bilateral relations and the upcoming meeting of the Moroccan-French High Joint Commission, to be held in the few coming weeks in Morocco.

Youssoufi dwelt on Morocco's efforts and measures to alleviate the adverse effects of drought, including increasing water supply, providing jobs to rural populations and decreasing farmers' debts.

The two sides also studied a set of regional issues of common concern.

The French official also conferred with Interior Minister Driss Basri.