Arabic News Weekly Edition for Morocco, 8/11/2003
Weekly Edition, Morocco - Week of August 11, 2003
- Morocco takes note of release of 243 Moroccan detainees in Tindouf
"While lauding the return of these 243 Moroccan nationals to their country and to their families," Morocco said "the resort, once again, to the liberation of Moroccan detainees by the groups confirms the immorality (of their acts) and decried approach adopted by the enemies of the Kingdom's territorial integrity in blatant violation of the international humanitarian law and of the United Nations Security Council resolution, particularly resolution 1495, dated July 31, 2003." Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 8/16/2003 - Aujourd'hui le Maroc: Algerian central sahara could have witnessed same situation as Moroccan sahara, Moroccan jurist
He assured that democratic Morocco is determined to denounce and fight so that the international community knows that there will be a fair solution to the Sahara question when the Algeria of Bouteflika stops to hide under the "defense" of beautiful fallacious principles, and accepts via a bilateral dialogue with Morocco, to untangle a problem of which it is the major artisan. Algeria-Morocco, Politics, 8/16/2003 - UN charter binds international community to decide on Moroccan identity of sahara, Moroccan researcher
Article 11 of the United Nations charter dealing with peoples who do not enjoy autonomy, binds the international community to rule on the Moroccan identity of the Sahara, said Moroccan searcher, Saad Regragui. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 8/16/2003 - Tennis: Morocco's Hicham Arazi Rolled out of Cincinnati Masters Morocco, Sports, 8/16/2003
- Some 70 kg of drugs seized in Fez Morocco, Local, 8/16/2003
- Morocco to host world youth congress
Morocco will play host this August 16-28 to the second edition of the World Congress of the Youth that is organised in partnership between the Moroccan Youth Forum of the Third Millennium and the non governmental organisation Peace Child International. Morocco-Regional, Culture, 8/16/2003 - Morocco celebrates 24th anniversary of Oued Eddahab recovery Morocco, Local, 8/15/2003
- Italy to build tourism complex northern Morocco
Italy will build a tourism complex in Assilah (northern Morocco) over a period of three years, said an Italian official in charge of external trade, underlining that his country intends to reinforce its presence in the Moroccan market through the 51 million Euro-worth project. Morocco-Italy, Economics, 8/15/2003 - Football: Morocco play iraq in Saudi tournament Morocco-Iraq, Sports, 8/15/2003
- 11/9 Events: Trial of Moroccan suspect starts in Germany
The trial of Moroccan Abdelghani Mzoudi who is sued for alleged complicity in September 11 attacks, opened on Thursday in the appeal court of Hamburg (northern German). Morocco-Germany, Local, 8/15/2003 - Tennis: Morocco's Arazi in third round
Morocco's Hicham Arazi qualified for the third round of Cincinnati Masters series tournament after he defeated French Paul Henri Mathieu in two sets 6-2 and 6-1. Morocco, Sports, 8/15/2003 - Maghreb union construction goes to respecting bodies' charter, Moroccan fm says
It is true that all Arab states are, more or less, paralyzed by differences with their immediate neighbors, but Algeria is doubly handicapped by its internal crisis, which did not prevent Algiers from fomenting a tension spot with Morocco over the Kingdom's territorial integrity, said the foreign minister. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 8/14/2003 - Sahara issue: Washington backs solution accepted by all parties
US Ambassador to Morocco, Ms. Margaret Tutwiler, on Wednesday said her country backs a solution to the Sahara issue, acceptable by all parties concerned. Morocco-USA, Politics, 8/14/2003 - Court sentences two extremists to five years
The appeal court of Rabat sentenced Tuesday two extremists accused of belonging to Salafia Jihadia underground group to 5 years. Morocco, Local, 8/14/2003 - Athletics: two Moroccan marathon runners in world championships
Two Moroccan women Marathon runners will represent Morocco for the first time in the World Championships in Athletics that will be held in Paris this August 23-31 in Paris. Morocco, Sports, 8/14/2003 - King Mohammed gives instructions to assist flood victims in southern Morocco Morocco, Local, 8/14/2003
- Briton condemned to 4-month in jail Morocco-UK, Local, 8/14/2003
- King of Bahrain arrives in Morocco Morocco-Bahrain, Politics, 8/13/2003
- Morocco sends humanitarian assistance to flood-stricken Sudan Morocco-Sudan, Politics, 8/13/2003
- Briton denies links with Moroccan extremist movement
Perry, who was assisted in trial by a university English teacher, told the court he came to Morocco to evade British justice in a case of illegal sale of computers and drugs, to learn Arabic and know a Muslim country. Morocco-UK, Local, 8/13/2003 - Extremist jailed for 10 years, two defendants acquitted
The court of appeal of Casablanca sentenced Monday a member of Salafia Jihadia, a banned extremist group, to 10 years in prison and acquitted two defendants. Morocco, Local, 8/13/2003 - Tennis: Morocco's al-Aynaoui advances at Cincinnati masters Morocco, Sports, 8/13/2003
- Some 468 sub-saharan illegal immigrants expelled from Morocco Morocco, Local, 8/13/2003
- Festival of Arab songs organized in rabat
Rabat is hosting this August 12-14 the 11th edition of the Festival of Arab Songs organized under the aegis of the Radio Union of Arab States (ASBU), the union said in a release. Regional-Morocco, Local, 8/13/2003 - Gang attacking Moroccan expatriates arrested in Madrid
Spain's civil guard services arrested Monday three members of a gang that attacked Moroccan expatriates in Madrid to steal their belongings, a source close to the Spanish interior ministry said. Morocco-Spain, Local, 8/13/2003 - Trial of alleged three suicide bombers postponed
The court of appeal of Casablanca postponed to August 18 studying the case of three suicide bombers belonging to the group of Mohamed Omari, who are prosecuted in relation with terrorist attacks that hit Casablanca last May 16 claiming the lives of 44 people. Morocco, Local, 8/13/2003 - Fire ravages forest northern Morocco
Nearly 7 hectares of a forest located at 15 Km from Tangier was ravaged by fire on Monday. Morocco, Local, 8/13/2003 - Cameroon wants to benefit from Morocco's anti-illiteracy experience
Cameroon secretary of state in charge of youth, Denis Oumarou, who is currently on a visit to Morocco, said in Rabat on Monday he will probe with Moroccan officials means to make his country benefit from Morocco's experience in education and fighting illiteracy. Morocco-Cameroon, Education, 8/13/2003 - For Algeria, Saharara question is linked to geo-strategic card to weaken Morocco, university professor
The Sahara issue has served as a geo-strategic card for Algeria to weaken Morocco, a leading Moroccan international expert said. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 8/12/2003 - No solution to sahara issue outside Morocco's kingty, Sahrawi tribe chiefs
Sahrawi Shioukhs, or tribe chieftains, and notables have rejected any settlement to the Sahara issue outside Morocco's kingty over all its territory, and renewed mobilization behind King Mohammed VI to continue the social and economic development of the Moroccan Saharan provinces. Morocco, Politics, 8/12/2003 - Le Matin du Sahara et du Maghreb: Algerian labor party rejects baker plan
The Algerian Labor Party (PT) rejects the new plan of United Nations Secretary General Personal Envoy, James Baker, and asserts that it is in favor of "the preservation of nations against all kinds of divisions that risks to undermine their sovereignty," PT member told a Moroccan newspaper. Algeria-Morocco, Politics, 8/12/2003 - Algeria has to take into account Morocco's national interests, press
"Algeria has to stop its speech of good intentions and take into account Morocco's national interests," Assahara Al Maghribia daily wrote on Sunday, underlining that the Sahara is part and parcel of Morocco and will not be subject to any bargain. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 8/12/2003 - Separatists' camps: forced exile of kids, blackmail to break up families
The forced exile of children by Polisario secessionist group is part of a global policy for a political blackmail and for the breaking up of families to make them wait for the possible unlikely return of their kids, Bouchaib Yahdih, former Polisario cadre, said. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 8/12/2003 - Saudi Crown Prince in Morocco Morocco-Saudi Arabia, Politics, 8/12/2003
- Moroccan princess wins high french distinction Morocco, Local, 8/12/2003
- Bus carrying Moroccans diverted in Spain
Spanish authorities are trying to locate a bus carrying Moroccan nationals, that was diverted by unknown people early on Sunday in a station service in Grenada (southern Spain), Spain's National Radio reported Monday. Morocco-Spain, Local, 8/12/2003 - Morocco's Mina Ait Hammou comes up third at Berlin's 800m race Morocco, Sports, 8/12/2003
- Namur's francophone film festival: Morocco represented by Faouzi Bensaid's '1,000 months'
Morocco will be represented at the international festival of the Francophone film (FIFF) in Namur, Belgium, by Faouzi Bensaid's movie "One Thousand Months." Morocco, Local, 8/12/2003 - WHO warns against smoking upsurge in morocco
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned against an upsurge of smoking in Morocco and the resulting expenses. Morocco, Health, 8/12/2003 - U.N. chief appoints new representative for Sahara
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan appointed Alvaro de Soto of Peru, a key adviser on the Cyprus issue, as his new Special Representative for the Moroccan Sahara. Morocco, Local, 8/12/2003 - African judo championships: Moroccan juniors win 3 gold, 1 bronze medals
The Moroccan junior judo squad won 3 gold and one bronze medals at the third African championships held here August 7-11 with the participation of Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Mali, Benin, Niger and Cote d'Ivoire. Morocco, Sports, 8/12/2003 - Moroccan, Algerian negotiations, sole means to settle sahara issue (moroccan official)
The Sahara issue can be settled if Algeria "makes the necessary effort," Moroccan delegate minister for foreign affairs and cooperation, Taieb Fassi Fihri, said on Friday. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 8/11/2003 - Creating small entities in the Sahara would be a dangerous precedent, FM
Creating small entities in the Sahara "would be adventurous and a dangerous precedent" because if separatism demons are unleashed, no country would be spared until the Red Sea, Moroccan minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Mohammed Benaissa, said. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 8/11/2003 - Assabah: Sahara issue, a cause for whole Moroccan nation, concerns but an elite in Algeria
On grounds of defending democracy, independence and peoples' right to self-determination, Algeria "seeks to divide the Maghreb, hamper its development and turn the region into spot of tension to set up foreign bases." Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 8/11/2003 - Human rights watchdog denounces Polisario's crimes
A delegation of a watchdog grouping human rights associations in the Sahara, currently on a visit to Geneva, denounced the crimes perpetrated by the Polisario separatists against the innocent populations sequestered in the camps of Tindouf, Algeria. Algeria-Morocco, Politics, 8/11/2003 - Moroccan-Russian talks in rabat Morocco-Russia, Politics, 8/11/2003
- Former Polisario military returns to homeland, Morocco Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 8/11/2003
- Moroccan former referee chosen member of Arab soccer union Morocco-Regional, Sports, 8/11/2003
- Moroccan soccer clubs take part in african champions' league, CAF cup Morocco, Local, 8/11/2003
- Casablanca attacks: french Perec acquitted
During the hearing, Perec, who comes from Lyon, said he was not aware of Moroccan laws under which denouncing criminal acts is an obligation. Morocco-France, Local, 8/11/2003 - Extremist group sentenced to 7 to 20 years in jail
The criminal chamber of the Appeal court of Casablanca handed down Friday jail terms ranging between 7 and 20 years for three members of the extremist group "Abdelghani Ben Taous," involved in the Casablanca terrorist attacks of May 16. Morocco, Local, 8/11/2003