Arabic News Weekly Edition for Morocco, 5/5/2003
Weekly Edition, Morocco - Week of May 5, 2003
- King Mohammed wants Moroccan diplomacy to highlight solidarity, humanitarian values, official
Morocco's King Mohammed VI sees to it that the Moroccan diplomacy embodies solidarity and humanitarian values for an efficient contribution to defending South countries' development issues. Regional-Morocco, Politics, 5/10/2003 - King Mohammed sends message to German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
Morocco's Foreign Affairs and cooperation minister, Mohamed Benaissa met in Berlin on Friday with German peer, Joschka Fischer to whom he handed a message from King Mohammed VI to the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, currently on a trip abroad. Morocco-Germany, Politics, 5/10/2003 - Moroccan thinker pleads for reforming Arab regional system
Abdelhadi Boutaleb, a renowned Moroccan thinker, on Thursday called for hastening the reform of the Arab League and enable it better face up challenges thrown at Arab countries. Regional-Morocco, Politics, 5/10/2003 - Italy donates 500.000 euro to Morocco's leather industry
The Italian government donated 500.000 Euro to Morocco to fund a project to modernize the leather industry in Fez, Italian embassy in Rabat said. Morocco-Italy, Economics, 5/10/2003 - Iraq, Moroccan Sahara, major content of King Mohammed VI's message to President al-Assad Morocco-Syria, Politics, 5/10/2003
- Canadian MPs in Morocco May 10-12
A delegation from the Canadian House of Commons' permanent committee of foreign affairs and international trade will visit Morocco May 10-12, the Canadian embassy announced in a release. Morocco-Canada, Politics, 5/10/2003 - Al-Assad gets a message from Moroccan King Mohamed VI Syria-Morocco, Politics, 5/9/2003
- King Mohammed sends message to Russia's Putin
Moroccan state minister, Abbas Fassi, currently on visit to Moscow, on Thursday handed Russia's Foreign Affairs minister, Igor Ivanov a message from King Mohammed VI to President Vladimir Putin. Morocco-Russia, Politics, 5/9/2003 - Palestinian group absent of Moroccan festival, failed to obtain Israeli authorization
A release of the general coordinator of the festival said the manager of the Ramallah group apologized for not being able to attend. Palestinians do not have the right to go abroad if they do not obtain an authorization, he said. Palestine-Morocco, Politics, 5/9/2003 - Al Alam: Morocco, a privileged destination for Arab investors
Morocco has become a privileged destination for Arab investors and businessmen, secretary general of the Arab Investment Club in Morocco, Ali Ba Jaber, said, calling the country to for drawing the maximum benefit from this position. Morocco-Regional, Economics, 5/9/2003 - Morocco in Brussels Seafood Fair
Morocco is participating in the largest seafood fair organized May 6-8 in Belgium, where it is showcasing Moroccan sea products. Morocco, Economics, 5/9/2003 - Moroccan fm praises similarity of Moroccan-Mauritanian standpoints
Moroccan Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister, Mohammed Benaissa, on Wednesday praised the convergence of Moroccan and Mauritanian views regarding several issues. Morocco-Mauritania, Politics, 5/9/2003 - Government committed to apply social dialogue deal
The minister pointed to difficulties in recruiting more civil servants especially that 12.5% of the national revenue is earmarked for them, and 58 billion Dirhams ($5.8 billion) of the 78 billion ($ 7.8 billion) running costs go to salaries, i.e. two folds the kingdom's investment budget. Morocco, Politics, 5/9/2003 - King Mohammed amnesties 47,988 detainees on crown prince birth
Morocco's King Mohammed VI amnestied 47,988 detainees on the occasion of the birth of Crown Prince Moulay Al-Hassan, Justice Minister, Mohamed Bouzoubaa, announced on Thursday. Morocco, Local, 5/9/2003 - European commissioner of research to visit Morocco
European Commissioner of Research, Philippe Busquin, will visit Morocco May 26-27 to probe scientific and technologic cooperation between the kingdom and the EU. Morocco-European Union, Science, 5/9/2003 - Positive ties between Morocco's NGOs, government praised
The Arab Association of Civil Society Network praised the healthy and positive ties between NGOs and the State in Morocco. Morocco, Politics, 5/8/2003 - Morocco's premier ends visit to Mauritania
Morocco's Prime Minister Driss Jettou ended on Wednesday a two-day official visit to Mauritania during which he co-chaired with Mauritanian peer Cheikh El-Afia Ould Mohamed Khouna the high joint commission 3rd session. Morocco-Mauritania, Politics, 5/8/2003 - Casablanca-Tunis railway link likely to be re-established
The possibility to re-establish railway links between Casablanca and Tunis via Algeria was evoked at an international symposium on railway transport held in Tunis, reported a Tunis daily on Wednesday. Morocco-Tunisia, Economics, 5/8/2003 - Moroccan, Egyptian businessmen explore partnership
Moroccan businessmen met in Casablanca Tuesday with Egyptian peers at the headquarters of the trade, industry and services chamber (CCIC)in Casablanca to explore economic and trade partnership opportunities. Egypt-Morocco, Economics, 5/8/2003 - Morocco's phone operator sees sales on the rise
Morocco's phone operator, Maroc Telecom, on Tuesday said it posed a nine percent rise in its 2002 sales, which went up to 14.7 billion Dirham (US$ 1.47 billion) from 13.5 Billion Dirhams (US$1.35 billion) in 2001. Morocco, Business, 5/8/2003 - Morocco's territory development minister starts visit to Syria Syria-Morocco, Politics, 5/8/2003
- Moroccan state minister visits Russia Morocco-Russia, Politics, 5/8/2003
- Birth of Crown Prince Moulay Al-Hassan Morocco, Local, 5/8/2003
- Tennis: Morocco's El Aynaoui Rolled out at Rome Morocco, Sports, 5/8/2003
- 4th edition of rallye ORPI Maroc Due on june 5-9 Morocco, Sports, 5/8/2003
- Moroccan writer awarded Spanish prestigious prize
The Spanish Literature Prize "Prince of Asturias" 2003 went to Morocco's writer Fatima Mernissi and US Susan Sontag, the jury announced in Oveido (Northern Spain) Wednesday. Morocco, Local, 5/8/2003 - Rabat hotel purchased by International Hotel Group
"Chellah," a famed hotel in downtown Rabat, was purchased by the Denmark-based "Helnan international Hotels" group, reported Tuesday the Cairo press. Morocco-Egypt, Business, 5/8/2003 - Morocco, US hold new FTA negotiations round next June
Morocco and the United States will hold next June in Morocco a third round of their negotiations to conclude a free trade agreement (FTA), announced the Moroccan Delegate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Morocco-USA, Economics, 5/8/2003 - Morocco denies stoppage of large port building
Morocco on Tuesday denied the stoppage of construction works of a large port near the northern city of Tangiers. Morocco, Economics, 5/8/2003 - ADB Grants Morocco 80 Mln Euro Loan
The African Development Bank (ADB) signed in Tunis on Tuesday a loan accord granting Morocco 80 million Euros to reinforce electric networks between Morocco and Algeria, and Morocco and Spain. Morocco, Economics, 5/8/2003 - Argentina eliminates visa duties for Moroccan nationals
Argentina's government has decided to eliminate visa duties for Moroccan nationals either tourists or businessmen, by virtue of a presidential decree published in the official bulletin (April 23th). Morocco-Argentina, Politics, 5/7/2003 - Finance minister surveys structural reform; foreign debt eats three times investment funds
On the reforms undertaken by the finance and privatization department, Oulaalou said staff expenses have the biggest share in the state's budget with 52.34 billion Dirhams (US$ 5.23 billion) in 2003, for 800,000 civil servants, followed by the public debt with 41.76 billion Dirhams (US$ 4.17 billion) Morocco, Economics, 5/7/2003 - International textile challenges need pan Euro-Mediterranean pole
A substantial and rapid reduction of European customs duties will directly affect the preferential regime that benefits to many countries of the southern bank of the Mediterranean Sea, including Morocco, explained the Moroccan official in a speech before the conference convened here to probe the future of textile-clothing after 2005. Morocco-European Union, Economics, 5/7/2003 - Calls in Morocco to foil G-8 summit
Activists of the Morocco section of an international anti-globalisation association joined together to call for foiling the upcoming summit of the Group of 8 (G-8), arguing the summit "only seeks to impose rich countries' will on the rest of the world." Morocco-Regional, Politics, 5/7/2003 - Morocco's commercial exchanges with major partners totaled over $ 20 billion in 2002
Saudi Arabia -- Morocco's third supplier with 5,9 percent - soaked only 0,6 percent of Morocco's exportations. Morocco-Regional, Economics, 5/7/2003 - Rabat's 'Mawazin Festival' due on May 16-25
Uniting two sub-continents: Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, this encounter has invited artists from South Africa, Argentina, Burundi, Ghana, Mali, Brazil, Colombia, Senegal, Congo, Germany, France, Peru, Syria, Switzerland and Venezuela plus the host country Morocco. Regional-Morocco, Local, 5/7/2003 - Deputies hail rise in women's parliamentary representation
Moroccan deputies hailed over the weekend in Kenitra, 50 km north of Rabat, the increase in the rate of women representation in parliament that went up from 0,6 per cent in the previous legislative term to 10,6 per cent in the current one. Morocco, Politics, 5/6/2003 - Awareness campaign in canada on Moroccan POWs in Algerian camps
The Association of the sons of Moroccan Sahara Martyrs and Disappeared persons announced Monday the launching in Montreal (Canada) of a campaign to foster awareness as the situation of Moroccan POWs in Algerian camps and those of the Polisario separatists. Morocco-Canada, Politics, 5/6/2003 - Passport for Freedom extended to longest-serving Moroccan POW in algeria
"The passport for freedom" will be extended Tuesday in the European parliament to Moroccan officer, Mimouni Zeggai, detained since 1976 in the Tindouf camps (south-eastern Algeria, where the Polisario separatists are based), announced Dominique Rambaud, coordinator of the European Union's "Passport for Freedom" initiative. Morocco-European Union, Politics, 5/6/2003 - Moroccan FM meets Gambian peer Morocco-Gambia, Politics, 5/6/2003
- Cote-D'Ivoire wants to benefit from morocco's craftsmanship know-how Morocco-Cote D'Ivoire, Politics, 5/6/2003
- ATP Champions' Race: Morocco's El Aynaoui 12th Morocco, Sports, 5/6/2003
- One ton of hashish seized in a storehouse in Fez Morocco, Local, 5/6/2003
- Egyptian trade fair to open in Casablanca
Trade exchanges between Morocco and Egypt totaled US $55 million in 2002, compared to US $19 million in 1996. Morocco-Egypt, Economics, 5/6/2003 - Security Council informed on sahara issue parties' responses to proposals on political solution
James Baker, Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Sahara, on Friday conveyed to the UN Security Council the responses of the parties to the Sahara issue on the proposals of a political solution to the difference over the territory. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 5/5/2003 - 10,000 women run for fun in Casablanca Morocco, Sports, 5/5/2003
- Morocco in African boxing championships Morocco, Sports, 5/5/2003
- Morocco-Chad: vocational training cooperation probed
Morocco's Secretary of State in charge of vocational training, Said Oulbacha and Chad's Higher Education minister, Adoum Guemessou voiced here on Friday shared will to enhance cooperation in vocational training realms. Morocco-Chad, Politics, 5/5/2003