Arabic News Weekly Edition for Morocco, 9/15/2003
Weekly Edition, Morocco - Week of September 15, 2003
- French association condemns Polisario crimes and stops sending aid
French association "France Libertes" denounced "war crimes" that the Polisario secessionist group perpetrates against Moroccan prisoners of war and decided to stop sending aid to the mercenaries, reported French wide-circulation daily le Monde. Morocco-France, Politics, 9/20/2003 - Spanish NGOs might follow suit in ending support to Polisario
Spanish Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) might follow the example of French NGO "France Libertes" which halted its financial support to the Polisario and denounced "war crimes" committed against Moroccan prisoners in the Tindouf Camps, southern Algeria, by this separatist movement claiming independence of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony retrieved by Morocco in 1975. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 9/20/2003 - UAE parliament delegation meets Moroccan officials
A UAE parliamentary delegation, led by Speaker of the UAE National Federal Council, Said Mohammed Kindi, held here Thursday separate meetings with speakers of the Moroccan upper and lower parliamentary chambers and the minister of finance and privatization. Morocco-United Arab Emirates, Politics, 9/20/2003 - Unemployment rises by 0.8 percent in morocco
Morocco's unemployment rate increased in the second half of 2003 to 11.2 percent against 10.4 percent in the same period last year, marking a 0.8 percent, the Statistics Direction announced Friday. Morocco, Economics, 9/20/2003 - Blaze in Moroccan refinery leaves no victims
A blaze broke out here Wednesday evening in a gasoline tank in the Moroccan major oil refinery SAMIR but left no victims. Morocco, Business, 9/20/2003 - Frenchman and 2 codefendants get life sentence in connection with terrorist attacks
The court of appeal of Rabat sentenced on Thursday evening to life imprisonment French national, Pierre Robert, alias "Lhaj" alias "Abou Abderrahmane" and two other codefendants,, Hassan Kheddaoui and Khalid Chaoui. Morocco, Local, 9/20/2003 - ART TV buys Moroccan soccer broadcasting rights
The Arab satellite channel "ART" will be broadcasting matches of the Moroccan selection and first league championship, under a five-year broadcasting rights agreement signed Thursday. Morocco-Regional, Business, 9/20/2003 - Tennis: Morocco's Arazi wins over Henman in Davis cup opener Morocco, Sports, 9/20/2003
- Morocco supports Yemeni president's proposal for reactivation of arab joint action Yemen-Morocco, Politics, 9/19/2003
- Sahrawi notables received in French national assembly
A delegation of Sahrawi notables representing Sahrawi populations handed on Wednesday to Members of the French National Assembly (lower chamber) a memorandum expressing refusal of the latest UN proposal for the Sahara issue. Morocco-France, Politics, 9/19/2003 - Baker's peace plan will lead to tribal wars in the Sahara, warns Sahrawi dignitary
The latest settlement plan, mooted by James Baker, the UN secretary general's personal envoy for the Sahara, will lead to tribal wars in the Sahara (south of Morocco) and will destabilize the whole region, warned a Sahrawi dignitary, member of the Moroccan Consultative Council for Saharan Affairs. Morocco-UN, Politics, 9/19/2003 - Human rights body condemns murders of two Moroccan Jews Morocco, Local, 9/19/2003
- La Tribune: French savings bank to set up in Morocco
The French Savings Bank (Ecureuil) intends to have presence in Morocco and to take 20 percent of the capital of the Moroccan Bank of External Trade (BMCE) Morocco-France, Business, 9/19/2003 - Equatorial Guinea president starts visit to morocco Morocco-Equatorial Guinea, Politics, 9/19/2003
- Speaker of UAE national federal council starts visit to Morocco Morocco-United Arab Emirates, Politics, 9/19/2003
- Israeli threat to Arafat, breach of international law, Moroccan body Morocco-Israel, Politics, 9/19/2003
- Seven newly-elected councilors polls arrested Morocco, Local, 9/19/2003
- A Moroccan among 3 people arrested in spain for alleged links with al Qaeda Morocco-Spain, Politics, 9/19/2003
- Morocco to host IT expo
Morocco will host here next February 11-14 the Information Technologies Exhibition (SitExpo 2004). Morocco, Local, 9/19/2003 - King donates one million dollars for the construction of a mosque in dakar
Morocco's King Mohammed VI of Morocco has contributed 10 Million Dirhams (nearly one Million dollar) to the building of a new mosque in Dakar, Senegal, official sources said here Thursday Morocco-Senegal, Culture, 9/19/2003 - Morocco's chances to host the 2010 World Cup more than ever stronger
Morocco's chances to host the 2010 world soccer cup are more than ever stronger, said, in Casablanca Thursday, visiting chairman of the Asian Football Confederation, Mohamed Ben Hammam. Morocco, Sports, 9/19/2003 - Settlement of Sahara issue lies in security guaranteed by Moroccan kingy, Sahrawi notables
The only alternative to the latest plan of UN Secretary General's personal envoy to the Sahara, James Baker, which can not be accepted, consists in the kingdom's democratic institutions and the security guaranteed by Morocco, a delegation representing Sahrawi populations of Moroccan southern provinces said in Spain Tuesday. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 9/18/2003 - Renault CEO meets premier over setting up in Morocco
The Moroccan state and Renault also agreed that Renault will start assembling in SOMACA starting end of 2005 the L90 car, a family and economical car destined for the domestic market and exportation. Morocco-France, Business, 9/18/2003 - Baker plan will is not viable solution to Sahara issue, official Morocco-UN, Politics, 9/18/2003
- Moroccan premier holds talks with UK foreign office minister Morocco-UK, Politics, 9/18/2003
- Killers of Moroccan Jew in casablanca belong to Salafia Jihadia, authorities
The killers of Albert Ribibo, a Jewish Moroccan national, who was murdered Thursday in Casablanca, were identified as members of the "Salafia Jihadia" underground radical group, sources close to the investigation said. Morocco, Politics, 9/18/2003 - Teaching of Berber language to be generalized by 2008
The "Amazigh," a Berber language spoken in many parts of Morocco, will be taught by 2008, in all primary and secondary schools in Morocco, announced a government report released here Wednesday. Morocco, Politics, 9/18/2003 - Speaker of UAE parliament to visit Morocco United Arab Emirates-Morocco, Politics, 9/17/2003
- ICRC starts contacts with relatives of moroccans detained in tindouf Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 9/17/2003
- Group of 14 newly-elected councilors arrested on illegal meeting
A group of 14 freshly-elected councilors from the northeastern town hall of Nador were arrested this Tuesday in a residence in Bouznika Bay (40 km south of Rabat), as they were gathered by the outgoing town hall president, Tarik Yahya, for breaches to the electoral code, the interior ministry said. Morocco, Local, 9/17/2003 - Asharq Al Awsat: Memorandum denouncing James Baker's peace plan handed to French authorities
A group of local officials representing southern Moroccan provinces was received on Tuesday in Paris by French Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Read Mueller, to whom it handed, a memorandum denouncing the peace plan of former US secretary of state and personal envoy of UN Secretary General for the Sahara, James Baker, reports the Arabic newspaper Asharq Al Awsat. Morocco-France, Politics, 9/17/2003 - UK foreign office minister meets Moroccan official
British foreign office minister, Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, currently on a 3-day working visit to Morocco, met in Rabat Tuesday Moroccan state secretary of foreign affairs and cooperation, Taib Fasi Fihri. Morocco-UK, Politics, 9/17/2003 - Sahrawi delegation holds talks with Spanish officials
A delegation of representatives and notables of Sahrawi populations held talks here Monday with Spanish secretary of state for external affairs, Ramon Gil Casares. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 9/17/2003 - Marrakesh film festival eyes Cannes, Venice level
the festival will this year pay homage to figures of world cinema such as Alain Delon, Ridley Scott, Oliver Stone and especially Daniel Toscan du Plantier Morocco, Economics, 9/17/2003 - Rabat appeal court adjourns trial of Moroccan Islamist fighting group Morocco, Local, 9/17/2003
- South Korean national attempts to set himself on fire after a dispute with boss in Dakhla Morocco-South Korea, Local, 9/17/2003
- Morocco, US group to set up facility to finance small, medium enterprises
Morocco and the Washington-based International Finance Corporation (IFC) concluded in Rabat Monday an agreement on the setting up of a facility to finance small and medium enterprises in North Africa. Morocco-USA, Economics, 9/17/2003 - Morocco's El Guerrouj and S. Africa's Cloete best athletes of the year
Morocco's Four-time 1,500m World champion Hicham El Guerrouj was made Sunday best athlete of the year for the third time in a row, while South African world high jump champion Hestrie Cloete was confirmed as women's champion this year. Regional-Morocco, Sports, 9/17/2003 - Trial of Frenchman-led suspected terrorist group adjourned to Thursday
The court of appeal of Rabat decided on Monday night to adjourn to next Thursday the trial of the group led by Pierre Robert, Alias "Lhaj" alias "Abou Abderrahmane," who are sued in connection with the terrorist attacks that rocked Casablanca last May 16. Morocco, Local, 9/17/2003 - Three persons arrested in Fes for abortion attempt
Three persons involved in a case of abortion, including a retired medic and supervisor of a private clinic, were arrested last Saturday in Fes for attempting to perform an abortion. Morocco, Local, 9/17/2003 - Morocco to accelerate audiovisual sector reform
Moroccan communication minister and the government's spokesman, Nabil Benabdellah, said Morocco is set to accelerate the reform of the audiovisual sector in the upcoming days. Benabdellah told Moroccan daily "Al Alam" in an interview published this Monday efforts are intensified so that the council of government adopts shortly a new law regulating the communication sector in Morocco. Morocco, Politics, 9/16/2003 - Morocco hosts international oil and gas conference
Morocco is hosting this September 14-17 the international Oil and Gas conference (MIOG 2003) themed "North africa, from Production to Distribution" that will focus on all aspects of petroleum industry. Regional-Morocco, Business, 9/16/2003 - Presidents of Gabon, Congo Arrive in Morocco Morocco-Gabon, Politics, 9/16/2003
- Princess Lalla Fatima Zohra buried in Rabat Morocco, Local, 9/16/2003
- Prosecutor requests maximum sentence penalty for alleged member of underground group
The public prosecutor in the court of appeal of Rabat requested on Monday the maximum penalty provided by the penal code against Bendaoud Khamli who is suspected of belonging to the underground extremist group "Al Hijra Wa Takfir." Morocco, Local, 9/16/2003 - Political leaders broadly satisfied with results of Friday's local elections
Following the announcement of results of Friday's communal elections, during which 54.16% of the 14,620,937 registered voters cast their votes, leaders of political parties that took part in these polls were broadly satisfied with the results and atmosphere of these elections. Morocco, Politics, 9/15/2003 - Press comments on Morocco's local polls results
The communal elections made the headlines of Moroccan dailies published this Sunday. Morocco, Politics, 9/15/2003 - Local elections: over 120 women elected
A total of 127 women were elected in the local polls held Friday in Morocco out of 6,024 women who run for seats at communal councils, accounting for 5% of candidates. The score of women in Friday's communal elections marks a slight increase compared to the 1997 communal polls, both as regards female candidacies that stood at 1,657 and the successful women candidates that did not exceed 83. Morocco, Politics, 9/15/2003 - FTA negotiations with Morocco expected to be over by end of 2003, Zoellick
Moroccan-US negotiations over the Free Trade Agreement are expected to be over before the end of 2003, said the US Trade Representative (USTR), Robert Zoellick, in a fact sheet issued on the occasion of the World Trade Organization talks in Cancun, Mexico. Morocco-USA, Economics, 9/15/2003 - Al Khaleej: Morocco says Israel's decision to expel Arafat is unacceptable
Morocco deemed Saturday the Israeli decision to expel Palestinian president Yasser Arafat as "unacceptable." "It cannot contribute to the quest for a fair peace" in the Middle East, Moroccan communication minister and government spokesman, Nabil Benabdellah, told the UAE daily "Al Khaleej" in an interview published Saturday. Morocco-Palestine, Politics, 9/15/2003 - Local polls: over 400 complaints against electoral code breaches
Some 413 complaints have been filed in Morocco, from the beginning of the electoral campaign until elections' day on September 12, concerning violations of the electoral code and irregularities in electoral operations, the justice ministry said Saturday in a release. Morocco, Local, 9/15/2003 - Local polls: under-44 make nearly half of elected councilors
A rate of 45% of the councilors elected during the September 12 local polls are aged under 44, while those who were elected for the first time account for 52%. Morocco, Local, 9/15/2003 - WTO draft declaration not enough for developing countries, Moroccan minister
The draft declaration of the 5th World Trade Organization ministerial conference contains several improvements but it does not fully take into account developing countries' concerns, said minister of foreign trade, Mustapha Mechahouri, who leads the Moroccan delegation to the conference. Regional-Morocco, Economics, 9/15/2003 - Moroccan-Spain relations are very good, Spanish minister
Relations between Spain and Morocco are "very good," said Spanish defense minister, Federico Trillo. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 9/15/2003 - Number of Moroccan high schools pupils up by 8.72%
The number of students enrolled in high schools this year is due to reach some 573,355, i.e. a 8.72% increase in comparison with the 2002-2003 school year. Morocco, Education, 9/15/2003 - Twenty members of underground group get 3 to 10 years jail sentences
The court of appeal of Rabat handed down early Saturday 3 to 10 years jail sentences against twenty members of an underground association. The defendants, known as the "Sidi Bennour" group, includes four men who were sentenced to 10 years while 15 other got eight years. Morocco, Local, 9/15/2003 - Tired El Guerrouj withdraws from final
The Moroccan middle-distance star, Hicham El-Guerrouj, has pulled out of the 1 500 metres final at the inaugural World Athletics meeting due to fatigue. Morocco, Sports, 9/15/2003