Arabic News Weekly Edition for Morocco, 7/19/2004
Weekly Edition, Morocco - Week of July 19, 2004
- US House Okays FTA with Morocco
The US House of Representatives voted Thursday 323-99 to pass the Free Trade agreement, signed with Morocco last June 15. Morocco-USA, Politics, 7/24/2004 - Morocco may be powerful symbol of development, Heritage Foundation
Morocco, an "ideal ally" for the United States, may be a "powerful symbol of development" through the openness of its economy, underlined two members of Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based institute for political research. Morocco-USA, Politics, 7/24/2004 - Over 198 mosques hosted literacy courses in cities in 2003-2004
The number of mosques that hosted literacy courses for first and second levels in urban areas in 2003-2004 reached 198. Morocco, Education, 7/24/2004 - $588 million Mazagan seaside resort project finalized
The Moroccan government and a group of investors signed in Rabat Thursday a convention on the construction of the 5.3 billion Dirham ($588 million) Mazagan seaside resort in El Jadida province. Morocco, Business, 7/24/2004 - FTA will not affect Morocco's ability to preserve public health, Zoellick
US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick has underlined that the "Morocco FTA will not affect that country's ability to take measures necessary to protect public health or to use the WTO solution to import drugs." Morocco-USA, Economics, 7/24/2004 - 20th visit exchange between Morocco's Southern provinces, Tindouf camps, Algeria, postponed Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 7/24/2004
- 25 percent rise of French tourists to Morocco in H1 2004, Official
The number of French tourists in Morocco has increased by 25 percent during the first half of 2004, as compared to the same period last year, said Thursday the National Tourism Office (ONMT) delegate in France. Morocco-France, Economics, 7/24/2004 - King receives message from Libya's al-Qathafi Morocco-Libya, Politics, 7/23/2004
- Government earmarks $550-million to eradicate shanty towns
A national program to eradicate shanty towns in Rabat and nearby cities of Sale and Temara, to cost 5 billion Dirhams (around USD 555 million), was presented at a ceremony chaired, on Thursday, by King Mohammed VI of Morocco, who was accompanied by his brother, Prince Moulay Rachid. Morocco, Economics, 7/23/2004 - Interior minister's visit to Algeria was positive, official
The working visit Moroccan interior minister, Al Mostafa Sahel, paid to Algeria recently was "positive," said Communication Minister and Government spokesman, Nabil Benadellah. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 7/23/2004 - Poverty rate estimated at 13.7 percent in 2003, Minister
Minister for Social Development, Family and Solidarity, Abderrahim Harouchi, revealed, here Tuesday, that poverty rate in Morocco was estimated at 13.7 percent in 2003. Morocco, Economics, 7/23/2004 - King appoints new Governors to better serve citizens Morocco, Politics, 7/23/2004
- Saudi Prince Sultan on a private visit to Morocco Morocco-Saudi Arabia, Politics, 7/23/2004
- Morocco, Algeria agree to set up security cooperation task group
Moroccan and Algerian interior ministers, respectively Al Mostafa Sahel and Noureddine Yazid Zerhouni, agreed Wednesday to set up a task group in charge of bilateral security cooperation. Algeria-Morocco, Politics, 7/22/2004 - Government orders enquiries into torture allegations
The Moroccan Government has ordered enquiries into torture allegations reported by several national and international Non Governmental Organizations (NGO), a move, it said, comes in respect of the law and the Kingdom's international commitments. Morocco, Politics, 7/22/2004 - U.S. Senates approves FTA with Morocco
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday approved the free trade agreement signed on June 15 with Morocco and approved informally on July 15 by the House Ways and Means Committee. Morocco-USA, Politics, 7/22/2004 - Overcrowding hinders improvement of Moroccan prisons, Minister
"We cannot speak about an improvement of the situation in (Moroccan) prisons unless the problem of overcrowding is resolved," said, on Tuesday, Moroccan Justice Minister, Mohamed Bouzoubaa. Morocco, Politics, 7/22/2004 - Over 140 illegal immigrants arrested in Southern Morocco
Some 143 Sub-Saharan illegal immigrants, using Morocco as a transit to cross over to Europe, were arrested, Monday and Tuesday in two separate operations, said local authorities. Morocco-Regional, Local, 7/22/2004 - Morocco drafts anti-torture law
Morocco's justice department has drafted a law incriminating torture and completing the penal code's provisions in the field. Morocco, Politics, 7/21/2004 - Interior Minister convinced Morocco, Algeria can work 'hand in hand'
Moroccan Minister of Interior Al Mostafa Sahel, on Tuesday, said he was convinced that Morocco and Algeria can work hand in hand to face what he termed "common challenges." Algeria-Morocco, Politics, 7/21/2004 - Moroccan, Iranian parties call for moderate Islamic culture, in step with modern times
Morocco's Justice and Development Party (PJD- moderate Islamist party) and Iran's reformer party, Jabhat Moucharakat, stressed the necessity of a "moderate Islamic culture," in step with modern times. Morocco-Iran, Politics, 7/21/2004 - Press highlights intense diplomatic moves on Sahara issue
The Moroccan press highlighted Tuesday intense diplomatic moves between Rabat, Algiers, Madrid and Paris in a bid to settle the three-decade long Sahara conflict. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 7/21/2004 - Northern city of Nador to be linked by $250 million railway
The Northeastern city of Nador will be linked for the first time by a railway under a US$ 250 million convention signed, in Nador Tuesday, in presence of Morocco's King Mohammed VI. Morocco, Economics, 7/21/2004 - Tuberculosis-treatments in Morocco 90% successful, Minister
Morocco's tuberculosis treatment achieves an average success rate of 90%, which has curbed the disease's prevalence regularly since 1995, said health minister, Mohamed Cheikh Biadillah. Morocco, Health, 7/21/2004 - Thessaloniki meeting: Morocco's El Kaouch wins the 1500m race
Moroccan athlete, Adil El kaouch, won, Monday, the 1500m race in Thessaloniki, timing 3:36:59. Morocco, Sports, 7/21/2004 - King makes surprise visit to Nador port Morocco, Local, 7/21/2004
- Calls for global policy to fight children abuse Morocco, Culture, 7/21/2004
- Judge Garzon statements, 'unfounded' says Morocco's Islamist party
The Moroccan Islamist party, Party of Justice and Development (PJD/ moderate) has denounced as "unfounded" recent statements by Spanish judge Baltazar Garzon on Morocco's terrorist threat. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 7/20/2004 - King Mohammed VI lays foundation stone for youths women activities centers in Nador region (Northeast)
Morocco's King Mohammed VI of Morocco on Monday laid foundation stone for three centers to promote youth and women activities in the northeastern region of Nador. Morocco, Local, 7/20/2004 - Cote d'Ivoire president in Morocco Morocco-Cote d'Ivoire, Politics, 7/20/2004
- Sahara issue: Spanish party says referendum is no viable solution
Spain's socialist party (PSOE -in power) said Friday "a referendum is no viable solution to the Sahara issue, for it can not be held until it suits all parties' interests, with no winner nor loser." Morocco-Spain, Politics, 7/19/2004