Arabic News Weekly Edition for Morocco, 9/27/2004
Weekly Edition, Morocco - Week of September 27, 2004
- Imprisonment conditions should be improved
A report of the Justice, legislation and human rights committee of the House of Representatives (lower chamber), called for the improvement of imprisonment conditions in Moroccan jails and for the increase of their current capacity. Morocco, Judicial, 10/2/2004 - Former Polisario member deplores Algiers' obstinacy in Sahara issue
Al Fadili Salek, a former member of the Polisario separatist group, deplored Friday Algiers' "obstinacy" to block the efforts made by Morocco and other parties to settle the Sahara dispute. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 10/2/2004 - Moroccan press raises questions over Algeria's armament race
The paper noted that the type of equipment Algeria purchases leads to believe this hides other eventualities because priority is given to "offensive weapons rather than defence arms, especially that no country in the region poses a threat to Algeria." Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 10/2/2004 - Sahara issue should be settled by negotiation between Morocco and Algeria, Ambassador
The settlement of the Sahara issue has to be reached through negotiation between Morocco and Algeria, said American ambassador to Morocco, Thomas Riley in a story run on Friday by the "Maroc hebdo International" weekly. Morocco-USA, Politics, 10/2/2004 - Morocco hosts first call centers expo
The first international call centers expo is organized on Sep. 30 through Oct. 01 in Morocco's economic capital, Casablanca, with the presence of over 60 international exhibitors. Morocco-Regional, Economics, 10/2/2004 - Journalist gets one year sentence for defamation
The court of appeal of Rabat condemned Wednesday, Anas Tadili, director of the weekly "Akhbar Al Ousboua " to one year in prison and a fine of 10,000 Dhs (around US $ 1,111). Morocco, Politics, 10/1/2004 - Democratic advances in Morocco were not accompanied by progress in media sector, minister
Moroccan communication minister, Nabil Benabdellah, deplored, here Wednesday, that the "important strides achieved at the democratic level have not been accompanied by a progress in the media sector, in general, and the audiovisual in particular." Morocco, Politics, 10/1/2004 - Sahrawi NGO: Algeria is party in Sahara conflict
Algeria is a "party" in the artificial conflict over the Moroccan Sahara because it hosts the Polisario secessionists and backs them financially and diplomatically, said spokesman of the Association of Saharawi tribes in Europe, Lahcen Mahraoui. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 10/1/2004 - Court reduces sentences of 31 persons sued under terror law
The appellate court of Rabat reduced Wednesday prison terms of 31 persons belonging to the "Agadir group" who were sued under the anti-terror law. Morocco, Local, 10/1/2004 - Moroccan-made Fulgura in Paris Mondial de L'Automobile
Fulgura, the Moroccan-made supercar, is part of the 2004 Paris Mondial de L'Automobile, which opened its doors on September 23rd. Morocco, Economics, 10/1/2004 - Agadir-Cinema festival kicks off 2nd edition Morocco, Local, 10/1/2004
- Equity and Reconciliation Commission satisfied with authorities' cooperation
The Equity and Reconciliation Commission, in charge of out-of-court settlement of past human rights abuses, said it was "very satisfied" with the level of cooperation of public authorities. Morocco, Politics, 9/30/2004 - Moroccan memo To UN SG aims to cast light on Algeria direct responsibility in Sahara dossier, official
Benabdellah, also governement spokesman, told Tuesday, the Moroccan TVM channel, the letter addressed to the UN by Algerian president contains "odd and serious" elements as it describes Morocco, for the first time, as an occupying power" in the Moroccan Southern provinces. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 9/30/2004 - ODEP netted a $262 million in sales in 2003
The Moroccan "Office d'exploitation des ports" (ODEP) recorded in 2003 a turover totalling US $262 million (2.36 billion Dhs), which is a 1.7 percent rise compared to the previous year, ODEP director Mustapha Barroug said on Tuesday. Morocco, Economics, 9/30/2004 - Fires destroy nearly 40 hectares of forests in northern Morocco Morocco, Local, 9/30/2004
- Page of past human rights violations in Morocco should be turned, political party
The "dark page" of human rights violations committed in the past should be turned in a "civilized and modern context," said first secretary of the Socialist Union for Popular Forces (USFP), Mohamed El Yazghi. Morocco, Politics, 9/29/2004 - The Guardian : South Africa's recognition of 'SADR' harms own interests
South Africa's recent recognition of the puppet "Sahrawi republic," proclaimed by the Polisario secessionists that claim the separation of Morocco's southern provinces, will harm Pretoria's own interests, said the British daily The Guardian. Morocco-South Africa, Politics, 9/29/2004 - Morocco's Memorandum to UN unveils Algiers' responsibility in Sahara conflict, political parties
Leaders and representatives of Moroccan political parties were unanimous that the memorandum presented by Morocco to the UN on the Sahara issue unveils Algeria's hostility towards Morocco and its ambition to play a key role in the region, on the expense of the Kingdom's territorial integrity. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 9/29/2004 - Bonds of allegiance between Sahrawi tribes and Moroccan monarchy flawless, NGO
The historic bonds of allegiance linking Sahrawi tribes to the Moroccan monarchy are flawless, a reality that Algerians should be reminded of, said spokesman of the Association of Sahrawi Tribes in Europe, Lahcen Mahraoui. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 9/29/2004 - Sahara issue: Algerian General calls for settlement through large autonomy
Former head of the Algerian army's general staff, General Khalid Nezzar, called for the settlement of the Sahara issue through "some kind of large autonomy," stressing that the plan of the former UN Secretary General's special envoy, James Baker, is now "outdated." Algeria-Morocco, Politics, 9/29/2004 - Milan: Princess Lalla Hasna inaugurates expo dedicated to Morocco
Morocco's Princess Lalla Hasna inaugurated, Monday evening in Milan an exposition of the renowned American photograph, Albert Watson, dedicated to Morocco. Morocco-Italy, Local, 9/29/2004 - Morocco denies import of bad blood from Britain
The Moroccan Health Ministry has denied the import from Britain of blood products that could be contaminated with the human form of mad cow disease, as it was reported by the British daily "The Times." Morocco-UK, Local, 9/29/2004 - Madrid highlights Morocco's will to solve Sahara conflict Morocco-Spain, Politics, 9/29/2004
- Road accidents drop by 4.2 percent in Morocco Morocco, Local, 9/29/2004
- Bomb attack against Moroccan family car in Corsica
A car belonging to a Moroccan family in Ghisonaccia (Corsica) was subject to a foiled bomb attack Sunday night, said sources close to the investigation. Morocco-France, Local, 9/29/2004 - Political party: Morocco's sovereignty over Sahara not subject to negotiations Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 9/28/2004
- Lukewarm Moroccan-Saudi relations, unfounded allegations, ambassador
Lukewarm diplomatic relations between Morocco and Saudi Arabia, evoked by some Moroccan newspapers, is simply an "unfounded allegation," said Saudi ambassador to Morocco, Mohamed Ben Abderrahmane Al Bichr. Saudi Arabia-Morocco, Politics, 9/28/2004 - South Africa's recognition of 'SADR', an attempt to undermine Moroccans' patriotism (political party)
South Africa's recognition of the puppet Sahrawi Republic (SADR) is an attempt to undermine Morocco's patriotism symbols and Moroccans' patriotism, said secretary general of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), Saad Eddine Othmani. Morocco-South Africa, Politics, 9/28/2004 - Memorandum sent to UN highlights Sahara issue realities to international community, political parties
Representatives of Moroccan political parties stressed that the memorandum presented by Morocco to Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, highlights realities of the issue of the Moroccan Sahara to the international community and, initially, the fact that Algeria is the party blocking any attempt to settle this artificial conflict. Morocco-UN, Politics, 9/28/2004 - Le Soir d'Algerie: Algiers played part in South Africa's recognition of 'SADR'
The Algerian newspaper "Le Soir d'Algerie" pointed out, in last weekend's edition, to Algiers' "contribution" to South Africa's recognition of the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Republic "SADR." Morocco-South Africa, Politics, 9/28/2004 - AL Khaleej: Morocco open to solution securing sovereignty over Sahara, Academic
Morocco has wisely dealt with the Sahara issue and has been open to a solution that secures its sovereignty over its territory, said Pr Abdelhadi Boutaleb in a story ran, on Sunday, by the Abu Dhabi-based "AL Khaleej" daily. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 9/28/2004 - El Pais: Morocco denies rise of cannabis culture
Moroccan Interior Minister, Al Mostafa Sahel, has categorically denied allegations that cannabis culture has grown in Morocco in the latest years. Morocco, Culture, 9/28/2004 - Lax security management favored development of extremist groups
Moroccan interior minister, Al Mostafa Sahel, said the lax management of security services before 1999 favored the development of small extremist groups, who imported from Afghanistan an extremist religious trend. Morocco, Local, 9/28/2004 - Casablanca hosts Moroccan-German conference on renewable energies Oct. 7-8 Morocco-Germany, Local, 9/28/2004
- Moroccan-born Madrid attacks suspect freed
Spanish judge, Juan del Olmo, investigating March 11 Madrid attacks, ordered Friday the release of Moroccan-born Spaniard, Abderrahmane Hammadi Afandi, held since July part of the probe in the attacks, a legal source said. Morocco-Spain, Local, 9/28/2004 - Morocco pleads for broader international counter-terrorism cooperation
Moroccan Interior minister, Al Mostafa Sahel, has called for a larger international cooperation to avoid the appearance of new spots of terrorism, notably in Sahel countries, underlining the urgency of an international action. Morocco, Politics, 9/28/2004 - Morocco lashes out at Algeria’s campaign to dispute Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara
“Algeria has since 1973 worked to systematically hamper the completion of the Kingdom territorial integrity,” stressed the memorandum addressed by Morocco to the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 9/27/2004 - Hicham Temsamani Jad Case Hearing postponed to October 22
The criminal division of the appellate court of Rabat decided Friday to postpone the hearing of the Hicham Temsamani Jad case to October 22nd at the request of the public prosecutor that asked for more time to "add new procedures" to the defendant file. Morocco-Spain, Local, 9/27/2004