Arabic News Weekly Edition for Morocco, 11/10/2003
Weekly Edition, Morocco - Week of November 10, 2003
- Peddler sentenced to 6 months in prison for advocating terrorism
A peddler was condemned on Friday by the court of appeal of Rabat to six-months in jail and a 10,000 DH fine (about US$ 1,000) for advocating terrorism, under the anti-terrorism law enacted in Morocco following the string of terrorist attacks that hit Casablanca last May 16. Morocco, Politics, 11/15/2003 - Morocco's report on fight against torture welcomed in Geneva, say experts
The Presentation by Morocco of its third periodic report before the Geneva-based United Nations committee against torture, was welcomed by experts who described as "frank and constructive" their dialogue with the Moroccan delegation. Morocco-UN, Politics, 11/15/2003 - Europe-based NGOs refers to international criminal court cases of victims of Polisario torture
Three Europe-based associations defending the rights of populations sequestered in Tindouf (southwestern Algeria) by the separatist Polisario sent on Thursday to chief prosecutor of the international criminal court, Luis Moreno Ocampo, a letter urging the international body to examine seriously the cases of victims of torture committed by the Polisario separatist group. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 11/15/2003 - Laureus Sports awards: Morocco's El Guerrouj nominee Morocco, Sports, 11/15/2003
- MPs who switch parties will have to face justice, says minister
The Moroccan government insists that any member of parliament, who uses "illegal means" to change his party for another, will have to face justice, said, in Rabat Thursday, Moroccan minister of communication and spokesman for the government. Morocco, Politics, 11/15/2003 - Record 6.3 tons of drugs seized in Tangiers port Morocco, Local, 11/15/2003
- Morocco has strong political will to liberalize information sector, minister
Morocco's Minister of communication and spokesman for the government, Nabil Benabdellah, said there is a strong political will in Morocco to liberalize the information sector and reform the audiovisual one. Morocco, Politics, 11/14/2003 - Moroccan diplomat accuses some Spanish circles of triggering aversion against Morocco
Morocco's ambassador to Spain, Abdeslam Baraka, blamed in an interview published Wednesday in the Spanish daily "El Pais" several Spanish circles of causing aversion against Morocco each time there is a "misunderstanding" between the two countries. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 11/14/2003 - Morocco committed to ban torture, says ambassador
"The fight against terrorism, however its legitimacy, cannot conceal Morocco's attachment to the basic principles of human rights," said the Moroccan ambassador Morocco, Politics, 11/14/2003 - Morocco expresses reservations about World Bank report on justice reform
The Moroccan government has expressed some reservations about a report of the World Bank on the assessment of the judicial and juridical system in the kingdom, saying it contains "observations and conclusions that do not reflect reality." Morocco, Judicial, 11/14/2003 - US charity donates $ 18,500 to Moroccan associations
US Charity "The American International Women Club of Casablanca", donated on Monday US$ 18,500 (185,000 DH) to 12 Moroccan associations active in children, family, and handicapped persons fields. Morocco-USA, Local, 11/14/2003 - Justice and Reconciliation Commission will help definitively close human rights violation cases Morocco, Politics, 11/14/2003
- Indonesian FM calls for Morocco-Algeria dialogue over Sahara
Indonesian minister of foreign affairs, Hassan Wirajuda, currently visiting Morocco, called on Wednesday for "brotherly dialogue" between Morocco and Algeria to settle the Sahara issue which hinders the Arab Maghreb Union construction. Morocco-Indonesia, Politics, 11/13/2003 - New family code has rendered justice to Moroccan women, says royal advisor
The new Family Code has come to render justice to the Moroccan woman and to consecrate the dignity of men and women, said an adviser to King Mohammed VI. Morocco, Politics, 11/13/2003 - S. Korea exports to Morocco assessed at us $95 mln in 2002
South Korea's exports to Morocco were evaluated at US $95 million in 2002 while Morocco exported US $49 million-worth of goods to South Korea in the same year, said south Korean ambassador to Morocco, Chang Il Park. Morocco-South Korea, Economics, 11/13/2003 - Spanish NGOs and Media support Morocco's Condemnation of Racist Assaults against Moroccans
Spanish media and non-governmental organizations said they support Morocco's strong condemnation of aggressions against Moroccans in the southern locality of El Ejido. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 11/13/2003 - USAID to launch $30 million program to assist Morocco
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) announced Wednesday the launching of a five-year US $30 million (300 million Dhs) program to assist Morocco particularly in the economic realm. Morocco-USA, Economics, 11/13/2003 - Justice department mulls partnership with enterprises to employ prisoners
Justice Minister, Mohammed Bouzoubaa, said his department is probing establishing partnerships with economic operators to create jobs for prisoners. Morocco, Culture, 11/13/2003 - Think-thank predicts budget deficit to exceed 3% of gdp in 2003
The Moroccan budget deficit will be considerable in 2003 and could exceed 3% of the GDP, says Moroccan think-thank "National Institute of juncture analysis." Morocco, Economics, 11/13/2003 - Morocco's fm meets US officials Morocco-USA, Politics, 11/13/2003
- UN chief welcomes release of moroccan POWs Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 11/13/2003
- Morocco's fm conveys message from King Mohammed to World Bank president Morocco, Local, 11/13/2003
- Morocco-designed giant red ribbon to be unrolled at London town hall
A giant red ribbon designed by five Moroccan stylists will be unrolled at London's town hall next December 1st, to mark the world anti-AIDS day. Morocco-UK, Local, 11/13/2003 - Morocco's bio farm exports increase in 2001-2002
Morocco's exports of Bio products exports increased from 460 tons in 1995-1996 to 5,000 tons in 2001-2002, the National Federation of Agri-food said in its bulletin "Alimentarius." Morocco, Economics, 11/13/2003 - Morocco cut by 90% trachoma prevalence among children, health experts
Pfizer has announced a major effort to eliminate the blinding eye condition by the year 2020. The target date was set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The highly contagious disease affects 150 million people around the world, and is the world's leading cause of preventable blindness. Morocco, Health, 11/13/2003 - Details of the liberalization of Morocco's air transport sector will be announced in few weeks
Details of the liberalization of the air transport sector in Morocco will be announced in a few weeks, said Moroccan minister of tourism, in a statement Monday to the national TV. Morocco, Economics, 11/12/2003 - Morocco can triple argane oil production, agro-alimentary federation
Morocco's national production of Argane oil which is currently estimated at 4000 tons per year can be tripled, said the Moroccan agro-alimentary federation (FENAGRI) in a release. Morocco, Economics, 11/12/2003 - Indonesian FM arrives in Morocco Morocco-Indonesia, Politics, 11/12/2003
- Morocco to investigate allegations by 'Front of Liberation of Moroccan Algeria'
The Prosecutor of the First Instance Court of Rabat has decided to open an inquiry into the alleged "Front of Liberation of Moroccan Algeria," an organization so far unknown in Morocco that claimed to have conducted attacks in Algerian territory. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 11/11/2003 - ICRC calls for release of all Moroccans detained in Tindouf camps
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) appealed for the immediate release of Moroccan prisoners of war still detained in the Tindouf Camps, in accordance with international humanitarian law. Morocco, Politics, 11/11/2003 - Moroccan king condemns barbarous terrorist acts in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia-Morocco, Politics, 11/11/2003
- Settlement of Sahara issue goes through dialogue between Algeria and morocco, former polisario official Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 11/11/2003
- Morocco's power utility gets two more generators
The Moroccan Electricity Office (ONE) reinforced its production capacity with two generators located in the Ahmed EL Hansali-Ait Messaoud station, region of Beni Mellal (southeast of Casablanca). Morocco, Economics, 11/11/2003 - Release of 300 Moroccans held in Algeria
A group of 300 Moroccans who were held captive in Algeria and released following Libya's intercession with Algerian authorities arrived this Saturday afternoon in Agadir. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 11/10/2003 - First women to give Ramadan religious lecture says she was picked for academic criteria
Morocco's Rajaa Naji Mekkaoui, who was the first woman ever to give one of Ramadan religious lectures in the presence of King Mohammed VI, said she was chosen on the basis of scientific and academic criteria. Morocco, Religion, 11/10/2003 - Creation of equity and reconciliation commission, a human rights leap forward, minister Morocco, Politics, 11/10/2003
- WB president impressed by King's amendments to Family Law Morocco, Local, 11/10/2003
- Locust situation in Morocco calm, official Morocco, Local, 11/10/2003