Arabic News Weekly Edition for Morocco, 2/15/1999
Weekly Edition, Morocco - Week of February 15, 1999
- Moroccan foreign minister to tour three Latin American nations Morocco-International, Politics, 2/20/1999
- King Fahd of Saudi Arabia pays for Moroccan woman's medical treatment Morocco-Saudi Arabia, People, 2/20/1999
- Morocco cuts phone tariffs
The prices of inter-city calls were lowered by 50% while those of long distance and mobile phone subscription fees were decreased by 25%. Morocco, which counts 28 million inhabitants, has about 1.4 phone subscribers and over 80,000 cellular phone clients. Morocco, Business, 2/20/1999 - Morocco refuses to join any African meeting
Formal sources told ArabicNews.com that Morocco is committed to suspending its participation in any African meeting held within the framework of the Organization of African Untiy if the organization continues its support for a Saharan republic. Morocco, Politics, 2/20/1999 - Croatian economy minister meets Moroccan businessmen
Visiting Croatian Economy Minister Nenad Pogoes conferred in Casablanca with several Moroccan businessmen on ways to foster economic and commercial cooperation between Morocco and Croatia. Morocco-Croatia, Politics, 2/20/1999 - Morocco produces 60 million pairs of shoes annually
Morocco counts 145 shoe factories employing 9,000 persons and producing annually 60 million pairs of shoes. Morocco, Economics, 2/20/1999 - Abdul Meguid heads tomorrow to Morocco Regional-Morocco, Politics, 2/20/1999
- UNESCO chief hails Morocco's human rights progress
UNESCO director-general Federico Mayor on Friday hailed the progress achieved by Morocco in matters of human rights. Morocco-UN, Politics, 2/20/1999 - Spain to talk to Morocco on hiring temporary workers
Spanish Labor and Social Affairs Minister Manuel Pimentel Siles told a press conference that the Spanish government is currently studying the possibility of granting foreigners temporary work permits for limited periods. Morocco-Spain, Economics, 2/20/1999 - Morocco's human rights experience will be beneficial to Arab states, activist says
The "pioneer experience" Morocco gained in human rights fields will be beneficial to all Arab countries, the secretary-general of the Arab Human Rights Organization (AHRO) said. Regional-Morocco, Culture, 2/20/1999 - Italian NGOs agree to assist Morocco in handicraft Morocco-Italy, Economics, 2/20/1999
- Japan funds drinking water projects in Morocco
Japan has donated Morocco $2 million to finance drinking water projects in the North African country. Morocco-Japan, Economics, 2/20/1999 - Several students wounded in clashes with police Morocco, Local, 2/20/1999
- 1997 physics Nobel Prize winner to lecture in Morocco Morocco, Science, 2/20/1999
- Tunisian president in Morocco next March
Tunisian President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali will pay an official visit to Morocco next march, Moroccan minister in charge of relations with the Parliament told reporters Thursday in Rabat. Morocco-Tunisia, Politics, 2/19/1999 - Morocco would accept referendum postponement, if it guarantees all its demands
Morocco said Thursday it will accept postponement of the referendum in the Sahara, if the UN secretary general decides it and if that postponement guarantees the respect of all Moroccan demands, mainly the participation of all Sahrawis in the UN voting operation. Morocco, Politics, 2/19/1999 - Euro will ease business access to European markets, minister says
The use of the euro, the European single currency, will ease the Moroccan firms' access to European markets, the Moroccan economic forecast and planning minister said on Thursday. Morocco, Economics, 2/19/1999 - Morocco decides to use Arabic only in drafting laws
Morocco, where the French language is widely used, has decided that Arabic will be the sole Language used in drafting laws. Morocco, Culture, 2/19/1999 - Morocco sets up social development agency Morocco, Economics, 2/19/1999
- Morocco and Sudan to convene joint commission meeting next week
Morocco and Sudan will convene the 4th session of their joint commission this February 20-23 in Khartoum. Morocco-Sudan, Politics, 2/19/1999 - Islamic bank lends Morocco $30 million for water projects Morocco, Economics, 2/19/1999
- Moroccan-Saudi accords must be updated, Moroccan minister says
Moroccan Minister of Economy and Finance Fathallah Oualalou, who is on a visit to Saudi Arabia at the head of a large business delegation, stressed the need to update Moroccan-Saudi cooperation accords, some of which are 30 years old. Saudi Arabia-Morocco, Economics, 2/19/1999 - Casablanca hosts international colloquy on future of Arab Jerusalem next week
Casablanca plays host next week to an international colloquy on the "Future of Arab Jerusalem" meant to highlight the cause of the holy city. Regional-Morocco, Politics, 2/19/1999 - Lebanon is ready to sign investment protection accords with Morocco Lebanon-Morocco, Economics, 2/19/1999
- Rabat: International envoy holds talks on Sahara referendum Morocco, Politics, 2/18/1999
- Speaker of the Moroccan house of representatives in Budapest
Talks focused on cooperation prospects between the Moroccan and Hungarian legislative bodies, the Sahara issue, the Middle east peace process and the next Euro-Mediterranean parliamentary conference due in Stuttgart this year. Morocco-Hungary, Politics, 2/18/1999 - Staffers at US Congress visit Moroccan southern city
A group of staffers at the US congress, currently visiting Morocco, visited Tuesday the Moroccan southern city of Laayoune where they visited the socioeconomic projects carried out in the city. Morocco, Politics, 2/18/1999 - Saudi Arabia and Morocco determined to enhance economic relations
Talks focused on ways of intensifying and diversifying economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries.The Moroccan and Saudi officials agreed to increase investments, foster contacts between the two states' private sectors, lower all obstacles hampering the development of trade exchanges and enhance air-sea links. Saudi Arabia-Morocco, Economics, 2/18/1999 - Morocco and Croatia agree to boost trade exchanges
Morocco and croatia agreed Wednesday to develop and diversify their trade exchanges and economic cooperation. Morocco-Croatia, Economics, 2/18/1999 - Children vaccines absent from Moroccan market, says professional
Essential children vaccines are not found in the Moroccan market since last December and this shortage worries parents and complicates the work of pediatricians, said president of the Moroccan pediatrics society. Morocco, Health, 2/18/1999 - Moroccan premier and UNESCO chief call for fair international relations
Moroccan premier, Abderrahmane Youssoufi, and UNESCO director general, Frederico Mayor, called Wednesday in Rabat for fair international relations and for the respect of human values. Morocco, Politics, 2/18/1999 - Maghreban Unionists call for reactivating regional union
Maghreban trade unions, currently meeting here, called for the reactivation of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), whose activities have been halted since 1994. Maghreb-Morocco, Politics, 2/17/1999 - King Hassan II calls for greater human rights awareness in the Arab states
King Hassan II called this Wednesday for the elaboration of an Arab declaration which will contribute to deepening and promoting awareness on human rights issues in the Arab states. Regional-Morocco, Politics, 2/17/1999 - Saudi Arabia receives prominent Moroccan economic delegation
The 68-member Moroccan delegation which is touring the six countries forming the Gulf Cooperation Council arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday for talks with Saudi officials and economic operators on means of enhancing bilateral cooperation, especially in economic matters. Morocco-Saudi Arabia, Economics, 2/17/1999 - Spain offers Moroccans 27,000 seasonal jobs
Regarding the stringent measures enforced by Spain to limit access to the Moroccan northern town of Sebta, that is still under Spanish rule, the Spanish official said the measures are meant to restrict the entrance of Africans who use the city to emigrate illegally to Europe Morocco-Spain, Economics, 2/17/1999 - Moroccan parliament is slow in drafting laws says official from the executive
Bouzoubaa specified that during two legislative sessions, the parliament passed only 20 texts out of the 52 drafts submitted to it. He deplored the lack of an earnest dynamism at the two houses. Morocco, Politics, 2/17/1999 - Spain hopes Morocco will renew fisheries agreement with EU
According to chairman of the Moroccan sea fisheries Federation, Abderrahim Laabidi, Morocco slid from the world 1st fish-producing country to the 14th rank while several species have disappeared. This situation compelled 45 percent of the national fleet to freeze activities. Morocco-European Union, Economics, 2/17/1999 - U.S Congress staffers visit Moroccan Sahara
The Sahrawi shioukh stressed that the Sahara is a Moroccan territory and will remain as such, with or without the referendum Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 2/17/1999 - Belgian group ready to assist Morocco renovate its railway network
The Moroccan railway office announced it has earmarked around $ 121 Million for a project to revamp and extend the railway network in Morocco. Morocco-Belgium, Economics, 2/17/1999 - Speaker of the Moroccan house of representatives heads for Hungary Morocco-Hungary, Politics, 2/17/1999
- UNDP Executive Meets Moroccan Official Morocco, Culture, 2/17/1999
- Morocco's railway company settles debt, sees activities on the rise
The Moroccan state-owned railway company (ONCF) said it paid its debt on time and intends to increase its activities and investments in 1999. Morocco, Business, 2/17/1999 - Communal charter to be revised to set up new decentralization framework, interior minister says
Moroccan interior minister, Driss Basri, said recently the communal charter, which governs local councils since 1976, will be revised with a view to setting up a new decentralization frame in Morocco. Morocco, Politics, 2/16/1999 - Morocco's GDP to fall by 1.9 to 2.6 percent because of dismantling custom barriers with Europe, official
The dismantling of custom barriers between Morocco and the European Union will cause Morocco's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to fall by a rate of 1.9 to 2.6 percent, a Moroccan official said. Morocco, Economics, 2/16/1999 - Kuwait receives Moroccan economic delegation
At a similar meeting with the Kuwaiti minister of trade, the two sides discussed means of upgrading trade exchanges through tax exemptions and the setting up of a joint businessmen council. The possibility to reactivate the air links between the two states to promote tourism was equally examined. Kuwait-Morocco, Economics, 2/16/1999 - Morocco and Turkey activate free trade zone projet
Morocco and Turkey on Monday voiced determination to activate the setting up of a free trade zone to spur trade exchanges and boost economic cooperation between the two countries. Morocco-Turkey, Economics, 2/16/1999 - Morocco to sell phosphates to Norway
Morocco's state-owned phosphate group (OCP) signed on Monday an agreement with Norwegian "Norsk Hydro ASA" company making of the Moroccan firm its "privileged supplier" of raw phosphate products. Morocco-Norway, Business, 2/16/1999 - Moroccan and Italian businessmen to upgrade partnership in leather industry
Moroccan and Italian businessmen started Monday in Casablanca a three-day meeting to give a new momentum to partnership between the two countries in matters of leather industries and related sectors. Morocco-Italy, Business, 2/16/1999 - Morocco hosts Arab meeting on electricity
The Executive Bureau of the Arab Ministers Council in charge of Electricity will meet in Morocco this Feb. 17-18 to review a number of electricity projects in the Arab world and ways of enhancing the exchange of experiences and data. Regional-Morocco, Economics, 2/16/1999 - Morocco surprised at EU official's statement over fisheries agreement
Morocco expressed on Monday "surprise" over a statement made by chief of the European Union's delegation in Rabat that Moroccco "will be the loser if it does not renew the fisheries agreement with the European Union." Morocco-European Union, Economics, 2/16/1999 - Italy Backs Morocco's Candidate to WTO Top Post Morocco, Politics, 2/16/1999
- Equatorial Guinea's president in Morocco Morocco-Equatorial Guinea, Politics, 2/15/1999
- Crown Prince Sidi Mohammed to visit India, prime minister announces
Morocco's Crown Prince Sidi Mohammed will visit India shortly, Moroccan Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi announced over the weekend. Morocco-India, Politics, 2/15/1999 - Morocco deplores U.S. - British strikes against Iraq
Morocco deplores the U.S. - British air strikes against Iraq and renews attachment to the respect of Iraq's territorial integrity and sovereignty, said Moroccan Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi. Morocco-Iraq, Politics, 2/15/1999 - Morocco, India conclude three cooperation accords
Morocco and India concluded over the weekend in Rabat three cooperation accords in matters of investments, tourism and information. Morocco-India, Politics, 2/15/1999 - Casablanca and Bahrain stock exchanges sign memorandum of understanding
This accord, the first ever concluded by the Casablanca bourse with an Arab financial market, will contribute to sustaining Arab economy, as put by the chairman of the administrative board of the Casablanca bourse. Morocco-Bahrain, Economics, 2/15/1999 - Iraqi foreign minister hails Morocco's backing and solidarity with Iraq
Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Said al-Sahaf hailed Morocco's backing and solidarity with the Iraqi people who are going through difficult circumstances in view of the UN embargo and US-British air strikes. Iraq-Morocco, Politics, 2/15/1999 - Morocco has all assets to play leading role in Mideast peace process, minister
Moroccan Communication Minister Larbi Messari said Morocco has all assets to play a leading role in the Middle East peace process, thanks to the wise policy of King Hassan II. Morocco-Regional, Politics, 2/15/1999 - Bahrain and Morocco initial accord on guarantee and protection of investments
Morocco and Bahrain have initialed an accord on the guarantee and protection of investments. Bahrain-Morocco, Economics, 2/15/1999 - Speaker of German Bundestag ends visit to Morocco
The German official expressed hope that the present obstacles will be lifted, adding, "We have experienced for long years separation, and that is why we have positive feelings towards the Moroccans who are going through the same problem." Morocco-Germany, Politics, 2/15/1999