Morocco-Spain agriculture forum ends

Participants to the first Moroccan-Spanish agriculture forum (oct 6-7) wound up work Thursday setting up a joint follow-up committee to convene twice a year.

The closing statement says cooperation will be enhanced in realms of research, production structure assessment and upgrading and backup to private action through generic promotion campaigns for fresh and processed mediterranean fruit and vegetables.

The Casablanca meeting which began dialogue in a very competitive sector will boost cooperation and help promote coordination and complementarity and level some of the problems facing agriculture in both countries.

Agriculture Minister Habib El Malki later told the press the fishing issue was never brought up, the forum being devoted to means to promote exchanges in agriculture. He recalled that talks with the European Union on agriculture are slated for the year 2000 saying Morocco would plead for complementarity and preserve its interests.

Moroccan interests are a key factor in talks with the EU as well as with Spain, said Spanish minister of agriculture, food and fisheries Jesus Posada Moreno.