Arabic News Weekly Edition for Morocco, 12/22/2003
Weekly Edition, Morocco - Week of December 22, 2003
- Moroccan court rejects bail for minor twins sentenced to five years on terrorism charges
The chamber of Minors at the Court of Appeal of Rabat, on Friday rejected bail for the 14 year-old twin sisters, Iman and Sanna Laghriss, sentenced last September to five years imprisonment on terrorism charges. Morocco, Local, 12/27/2003 - Two jailed Moroccan journalists, in good health, says minister
The two jailed Moroccan journalists are in good health and enjoy all the rights guaranteed by the law, insisted on Wednesday night, the Moroccan minister of Justice. Morocco, Politics, 12/26/2003 - Over 3,000 casualties in road accidents in Morocco; severez drain on economy
Annual losses resulting from these accidents were estimated at 11 billion Dhs (US $1.1 billion), that is 2.5 percent of the GDP Morocco, Economics, 12/26/2003 - Compulsory health insurance project to be launched in january 2005, pm
Moroccan prime minister, Driss Jettou, said Wednesday, that the project of compulsory global health insurance will be enforced as of January 2005. Morocco, Economics, 12/26/2003 - S. Korean, Moroccan Human Rights activists meet in rabat
A visiting delegation of the South Korean National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), held, in Rabat Wednesday, a meeting with officials of the Moroccan Human Rights Consultative Council (CCDH). Morocco-South Korea, Politics, 12/26/2003 - Over 1,200 people affected by AIDS in Morocco
The number of Moroccans affected by the AIDs Virus has reached 1,295, according to official figures released Thursday. Morocco, Health, 12/26/2003 - Building Maghreb union requires courage, Moroccan fm
Moroccan minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Mohammed Benaissa, said building an active and dynamic Maghreb Union requires "courage" to remove difficulties. Morocco-Maghreb, Politics, 12/25/2003 - L'Opinion: Belgian ambassador calls for release of Moroccans sequestered in tindouf
Belgian ambassador to Rabat, Christina Funes Noppen, has called for the release of the Moroccans native of the Sahara held against their will in the camps of Tindouf (southwestern Algeria), by the Algerian-backed separatist movement "Polisario." Morocco-Belgium, Politics, 12/25/2003 - ICRC reiterates appeal for release of Moroccan POWs in Algeria
The International Committee of the Red cross (ICRC), has reiterated its appeal for the release "without any delay" of all remaining Moroccan prisoners of war (POWs), held captive by the Algerian-backed separatist movement "Polisario" in Tindouf (Southwestern Algeria). Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 12/25/2003 - Justice and legislation committee's talks on family code draft very positive, minister Morocco, Politics, 12/25/2003
- US fund purchases over 36 percent of Moroccan fertilizers import company
The US fund "AIG African Infrastructure Fund LLC" has purchased 36.36 percent of the capital of the Moroccan fertilizers import company "Gharaf Corporation" for 100 million Dhs (nearly US $10 million), the Moroccan company's CEO, Amine Kandil, told a press conference, in Casablanca Tuesday. Morocco-USA, Economics, 12/25/2003 - Locusts won't be eradicated until next March, minister
Moroccan minister of agriculture and rural development, Mohand Laenser, said Tuesday efforts to rid some 16,000 ha in southern and eastern regions of locusts will not yield fruit until March 2004. Morocco, Economics, 12/25/2003 - Unemployment rate in Morocco reaches 11.2 percent in h2, 2003 (official) Morocco, Economics, 12/25/2003
- Maghreb union must care for member states' territorial integrity, minister
Benabdellah reaffirmed the importance of the UMA building process underlining that in time of regional groupings, "We can not remain apart from this trend for we have wasted enough time." Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 12/24/2003 - Syrian - Moroccan party agreement Syria-Morocco, Politics, 12/24/2003
- Moroccan FM highlights need to engage in serious dialogue with Algeria on Sahara
Moroccan minister of foreign affair and cooperation, Mohammed Benaissa, has underlined the need for a "serious dialogue between Morocco and Algeria on the issue of the Moroccan Sahara," insisting that dialogue should lead to "a negotiated and consensual political solution between us and our brothers in Algeria." Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 12/24/2003 - South Korea set to invest in Moroccan communication sector
The president of the S. Korean International Cooperation agency for New Information and Communication Technologies (NICT) has voiced his country's resolve to invest in the NICT sector in Morocco, underscoring that the South Korean experience in NICT is acknowledged all over the world. Morocco-South Korea, Economics, 12/24/2003 - Court rejects temporary release plea in case of drug Lord Erramach
The Rabat-based special court of justice rejected on Monday the temporarily release request made by the defense concerning 27 involved in the case of Moroccan drug lord, Mounir Erramach, who is prosecuted along with senior police, county police and customs officials, as well as magistrates, court clerks, a local official and businessmen. Morocco, Judicial, 12/24/2003 - Association of Moroccan Sahrawis opens office in Spain Morocco-Spain, Politics, 12/24/2003
- Best Arab housing project award to be extended to Morocco
Arab Housing Ministers' Council decided to extend the Best Arab Housing Project Award to the Moroccan project "Essaouira Al Jadida" that was chosen among the most successful housing projects in the Arab states, the Arab League's general secretariat said. Morocco-Regional, Local, 12/24/2003 - No alternative to Maghreb Union, says Moroccan minister
The Moroccan minister of foreign affairs and cooperation has insisted on the vital importance of the Arab Maghreb Union, saying there is no alternative to such a Union provided it preserves each member country's territorial integrity. Maghreb-Morocco, Politics, 12/23/2003 - Over 7 million mobile customers in Morocco
The Number of subscribers to the two mobile phone companies "Maroc-telecom" and "Meditel" in Morocco, has, so far, reached over 7 million, compared to nearly 1.17 million subscribers to the land-line phone company "Maroc-telecom," revealed a document published Monday by the Moroccan trade, industry and telecommunication ministry. Morocco, Economics, 12/23/2003 - Morocco's presence on Russian market weak, report
Morocco's presence on the Russian market is "very weak" despite the existence of several cooperation agreements, mainly in agriculture and fisheries, according to a report of a prospecting mission of the Moroccan Center of Exports Promotion. Morocco-Russia, Economics, 12/23/2003 - Al-Assad confers with Moroccan party secretary Syria-Morocco, Politics, 12/23/2003
- Man sentenced to one year for terrorist charges
The court of appeal of Rabat sentenced, Monday, a man to one year in jail and a fine of 5,000 Dhs (US $500) under the anti-terrorism law enacted last May, following the Casablanca terrorist attacks that killed over 45 people, including 12 suicide bombers. Morocco, Local, 12/23/2003 - Morocco, UNFPA sign cooperation agreement to promote gender equality
Morocco and the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) sign in Rabat Friday a cooperation agreement to promote gender equality. Morocco, Culture, 12/22/2003 - Washington expects to conclude FTA with Morocco in January Morocco-USA, Economics, 12/22/2003
- Moroccan speaker holds talks with Spanish defence minister Morocco-Spain, Politics, 12/22/2003