Arabic News Weekly Edition for Morocco, 5/24/2004
Weekly Edition, Morocco - Week of May 24, 2004
- King holds phone talks with Algerian President Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 5/29/2004
- King receives Chairman of Kuwait's Council of Ministers Morocco-Kuwait, Politics, 5/29/2004
- Morocco-US FTA to be signed in June Morocco-USA, Economics, 5/29/2004
- France reiterates support to Morocco's claim of 'advanced status' with Europe, premier Morocco-France, Politics, 5/29/2004
- Morocco-Catalonia trade estimated at 812 Mn in 2003
Trade between Morocco and the Spanish region of Catalonia rose from 525 million Euro in 2000 to 812 million Euro in 2003, according to figures released at a meeting, in Rabat Friday, between visiting President of the local government of Catalonia, Pasqual Maragall, and Moroccan Premier, Driss Jettou. Morocco-Spain, Economics, 5/29/2004 - Morocco, Jordan set to promote economic partnership
The Moroccan minister said that last year, trade with Jordan, has not exceeded 0.1 percent (nearly US $18.1 million) of Morocco's overall foreign exchanges and 1.1 percent of its exchanges with Arab states. Morocco-Jordan, Economics, 5/29/2004 - Moroccan FM to visit Algeria
Moroccan foreign affairs and cooperation minister, Mohamed Benaissa, is expected Saturday in Algiers, an Algerian governmental source announced on Thursday. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 5/28/2004 - Amnesty International calls for prosecuting human rights violators in Tindouf Camps
Amnesty International has called for bringing to justice those guilty of human rights violations in the Polisario-controlled Tindouf camps, southwestern Algeria. Algeria-Morocco, Politics, 5/28/2004 - Micro-finance institutions eye treble recipients
Micro-finance institutions, which have extended some 1.5 million loans worth 3.4 billion DH (around US$ 377 million) by end of last December, want to treble the number of recipients to reach 1 million persons and increase by eight folds their loans to 4.5 billion DH (US$ 500 million). Morocco, Economics, 5/28/2004 - Head of Spanish local government: economic development in Africa to help settle Sahara issue
President of the Spanish regional government of the Canary Islands, Adan Martin, argued that spurring the development of Atlantic Africa will help solve all problems in the region, including the Sahara issue. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 5/28/2004 - King Mohammed VI receives president of regional government of Catalonia Morocco, Politics, 5/28/2004
- Thomas Cook, Iberostar eye strategic partnership with Morocco
The leisure group "Thomas Cook" and its strategic partner "Iberostar" are examining with Moroccan officials means to establish a strategic partnership with Morocco. Morocco, Business, 5/28/2004 - Turkish Parliament to ratify FTA with Morocco 'within two months', Speaker Morocco-Turkey, Economics, 5/28/2004
- One ton of Hashish seized in Northeastern Morocco
One ton of Chira (cannabis resin) was seized on Wednesday in two operations conducted by the anti-drugs squad in localities close to the Northeastern city of Nador. Morocco, Local, 5/28/2004 - Morocco, Mauritania sign package of agreements
Morocco and Mauritania signed, in Rabat Wednesday, a package of agreements meant to consolidate the legal framework of their cooperation and to set up a mechanism of consultation between their foreign affairs ministries. Morocco-Mauritania, Politics, 5/27/2004 - Road linking Morocco to Mauritania to open next October, official
A road linking Morocco to its southern neighbor, Mauritania, should be operational as early as October, announced, here Tuesday, Moroccan Prime Minister Driss Jettou. Morocco-Mauritania, Economics, 5/27/2004 - Amnesty International reveals human rights abuses committed by separatist movement Polisario
Amnesty International has revealed the human rights violations committed by the Algerian-backed separatist Movement "Polisario" in the Tindouf Camps, southwestern Algeria, in its annual report, reported on Wednesday the Tangiers-based Radio Mediterranee International (Medi 1). Algeria-Morocco, Politics, 5/27/2004 - Moroccan parliament strongly condemns ' war crimes' committed by Israel in Palestine
The Speaker of the Moroccan House of Representatives (Parliament's lower chamber), on Wednesday condemned what he described as "war crimes" committed by Israeli forces in the Occupied Palestinian territories, in a speech at a plenary session of the parliament devoted to Palestine and Iraq. Morocco-Palestine, Politics, 5/27/2004 - Madrid reserves 'special treatment' to Morocco in immigration matters, official
Spanish Secretary of State for Migratory Policy Consuelo Rumi, on Wednesday pleaded for a "special treatment" to be reserved to Morocco in immigration policy matters, with a view to facilitating the regularization of the situation of its nationals living illegally in Spain. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 5/27/2004 - Drug lord sentenced to 20 years in jail, $374 million fine
The Court of Appeal of Tetouan (Northern Morocco) on Wednesday sentenced drug lord, Mounir Erremach to 20 years in jail and a 3.37 billion DH (US$ 374 million) fine, in what the press described as one of the biggest trials in history of drug trafficking in the Kingdom. Morocco, Judicial, 5/27/2004 - King Mohammed VI receives Mauritania's premier Morocco-Mauritania, Politics, 5/27/2004
- Morocco resumes imports of milk cows next October
Morocco will resume, starting next October, importing milk cows, says the agriculture and rural development ministry which explains that an ad-hoc commission has found that current conditions are BSE-risk free. Morocco, Economics, 5/27/2004 - Morocco exports 10% of its pharmaceutical products, Minister Morocco, Economics, 5/27/2004
- Number of tourists in Morocco 21% up by end of April Morocco, Economics, 5/27/2004
- King calls for a national plan to improve child's condition
King Mohammed VI of Morocco has called for a national plan to improve the conditions of children in the Kingdom, saying he was "keen to see to it that children be provided with a democratic education." Morocco, Culture, 5/26/2004 - Mauritanian premier in Morocco for high joint commission
Mauritanian prime minister, Sghair Ould M'Bareck, arrived Tuesday afternoon to Rabat where he will co-chair with his Moroccan peer, Driss Jettou, the 4th meeting of the high joint commission, to be held, May 25-26. Morocco-Mauritania, Politics, 5/26/2004 - Moroccan Speaker pleads for privileged relations with Kuwait
Speaker of the Moroccan House of Advisors (Senate), Mustapha Oukacha, pleaded here Monday for privileged relations with Kuwait. Morocco-Kuwait, Politics, 5/26/2004 - Morocco's GDP to post estimated 4.4% growth in 2004
Morocco's Gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by an estimated 4.4% by end of 2004, which is "a year of transition towards a significant economic growth" according to the Centre Marocain de Conjoncture (CMC). Morocco, Economics, 5/26/2004 - Morocco hails Turkey stance in Sahara issue Morocco-Turkey, Politics, 5/26/2004
- Coalition insists no solution to Sahara dispute outside Morocco's sovereignty Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 5/26/2004
- Roland Garros: Morocco's Hicham Arazi rolled out in first round Morocco, Sports, 5/26/2004
- Syrian-Moroccan memorandum of understanding signed
Syria and Morocco on Monday agreed to continue coordination between Al-Ba'ath Arab Socialist Party and the political parties in Morocco to form a popular front defending Arab homeland issues and achieving progress and development of the Arab societies. Syria-Morocco, Politics, 5/25/2004 - Moroccan, Turkish Parliaments to speed up Free Trade Agreement ratification
The Speaker of the Moroccan House of Representatives (parliament's lower chamber), Abdelouahed Radi and his Turkish counterpart, Bulent Arinc on Monday vowed to speed up the process of ratification of the Free Trade Agreement recently concluded between the two countries. Morocco-Turkey, Politics, 5/25/2004 - Passport for Freedom to drum up support for release of Moroccan POWs in Algeria
European Parliament's initiative "Passport for Freedom" will launch an all-out campaign to raise international public opinion awareness on the fate of the hundreds of Moroccan prisoners of war (POWs) still detained in the Tindouf Camps (southwestern Algeria) by the separatist movement Polisario. Morocco-European Union, Politics, 5/25/2004 - Marrakech hotel obtains International tourism federation's top award Morocco, Local, 5/25/2004
- Equatorial Guinean president in Morocco Morocco-Equatorial Guinea, Politics, 5/25/2004
- Morocco sees increase in number of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia
The number of Moroccan pilgrims to the Islamic holy sites in Saudi Arabia should be increased in light of findings of the general population census that Morocco will conduct this summer. Morocco-Saudi Arabia, Economics, 5/25/2004 - Grand Prix Hassan II final: Ventura triumphs over top seed Hrbaty Morocco, Sports, 5/25/2004
- Conference in Rabat looks into political detention literature
Rabat is hosting this May 21-22 a conference on "literature of political detention" held by the Moroccan equity and reconciliation commission (IER) set up last January to seek out-of-court settlement of past human rights abuses. Morocco, Politics, 5/24/2004 - Morocco sends humanitarian aid to Palestinian people
King Mohammed VI of Morocco, in his capacity as chairman of the Al Quds (Jerusalem) Committee- an offshoot of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC)-, on Saturday instructed the Government to send a humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, in particular to the inhabitants of the city of Rafah, which is being targeted by Israeli attacks, a press release from the foreign affairs and cooperation ministry said. Morocco-Palestine, Politics, 5/24/2004 - Two women chose to stay in Morocco after UN-sponsored visit exchange program with Polisario camps
Two sisters who benefited from the family visit exchange program between Moroccan southern provinces and the Polisario-controled camps in southern Algeria have decided to stay in Morocco and called the international community and non-governmental organizations to help lift the siege imposed on those sequestered in the camps. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 5/24/2004 - Argentina supports negotiated solution to Sahara issue Morocco-Argentina, Politics, 5/24/2004
- Court acquits two men of terrorism charges
The court of appeal of Rabat cleared on Friday, Mustapha Lotfi and Moulay Abdallah Farajani, of terrorism charges. Morocco, Local, 5/24/2004