Arabic News Weekly Edition for Morocco, 10/18/2004
Weekly Edition, Morocco - Week of October 18, 2004
- King Mohammed launches 7th nationwide solidarity campaign
Morocco's King Mohammed VI launched this Friday the 7th nationwide solidarity campaign, an annual campaign to collect funds and donations from individuals and companies and carry out development projects for the most unprivileged categories of the Moroccan society. Morocco, Culture, 10/23/2004 - Morocco hails Chile's stance on Sahara issue
Morocco's ambassador to Chile, Abdelhadi Boucetta, hailed, in Buenos Aires Thursday, Chile's stance on Sahara issue, at a meeting with Chilean secretary of States for Foreign Affairs, Cristian Barros. Morocco-Chile, Politics, 10/23/2004 - Moratinos: Madrid abstention in UN vote on Sahara due to its conviction of consensus importance
Spain's abstention during the vote on the Algerian draft resolution on the Sahara before the UN 4th committee is due to its conviction of the need to reach a consensus between parties as it has been the case since several years, affirmed, on Thursday, Spanish Foreign Minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 10/23/2004 - Rural tourism a major development focus in Morocco, official
Rural tourism in Morocco "has become a major development focus to enable the rural world benefit of the large tourist poles of the country," said Moroccan tourism ministry Secretary General, Hassan Kacimi, noting that some of tourism revenues are used "to protect nature," for environment preservation is key to sustainable development of countryside tourism. Morocco, Economics, 10/23/2004 - Forum for the Future Focus of talks between Morocco and US officials
Moroccan Prime Minister, Driss Jettou, evoked, in Rabat Thursday, with US Assistant Secretary of State for the Near East, William Burns, Morocco's organization of the Forum for the Future at the beginning of December. Morocco-USA, Politics, 10/23/2004 - UN SG proposes 6 month-Extension of Sahara mission mandate
The United secretary general, Kofi Annan, proposed to the security council to extend by six months, until 30 April 30 2005, the mandate of MINURSO (French acronym for the UN mission in the Sahara). Morocco-UN, Politics, 10/23/2004 - King Mohammed launches construction of center for homeless children
Morocco's King Mohammed VI launched this Friday the construction of a center for abandoned children, a project of the Mohammed V solidarity foundation. Morocco, Culture, 10/23/2004 - Grandson of Rif Battle hero denies Spanish paper allegations
Omar Khattabi, grandson of the hero of the Anwal battle against the Spanish occupiers in 1921, denied allegations published Friday by Spanish "El Mundo" daily and stressed he has never made any statement to this paper. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 10/23/2004 - Casablanca, Chicago students exchange viewpoints at video Conference
Casablanca and Chicago students asked and answered each other's questions on their respective towns and other issues on teaching systems, as well as on Islam and fundamentalism, during a videoconference, held on Thursday. Morocco-USA, Local, 10/23/2004 - Moroccan Gendarmerie seized more than 73 tons of cannabis in Tangier region Morocco, Local, 10/23/2004
- Human Rights Watch notes impressive strides in rights and backsliding
"Morocco has made impressive strides in human rights over the last fifteen years" says human rights watch in its latest report published this Thursday, warning however that this progress is "endangered" by measures taken to fight terrorism. Morocco, Politics, 10/22/2004 - Media criticises 'worsening' of corruption in Morocco
Moroccan newspapers on Thursday described as "worsening" the situation of corruption in the country which, with a 3.2 score, regressed to the 77th position along with Egypt, Benin and Mali, as shown in the Transparency international Corruption Perceptions Index, published Wednesday. Morocco, Politics, 10/22/2004 - Algeria suffers 'unprecedented severe blow' since start of Sahara conflict, daily
Algeria suffered "an unprecedented severe blow since the start of the Sahara conflict" after the majority in the UN General Assembly 4th committee voiced reservation regarding the Algerian draft resolution on the Sahara issue, Algerian "Al Akhbar" daily said Wednesday. Algeria-Morocco, Politics, 10/22/2004 - Burns: Washington committed to political solution for Sahara conflict
Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for the Near East, William Burns, said, here Thursday, his country is committed to a political settlement of the Sahara issue, calling for dialogue between Morocco and Algeria. Morocco-USA, Politics, 10/22/2004 - Morocco always respected consensus on its territorial integrity, minister Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 10/22/2004
- Moroccan delegate FM meets French FM in Paris Morocco-France, Politics, 10/22/2004
- Spain keen on fostering dialog on fisheries with Morocco
Spanish fisheries minister, Elena Espinosa said her country tries to foster "a dialogue climate" with Morocco so that the European Union restores the fishing agreement with the Kingdom. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 10/22/2004 - King Mohammed dedicates girls and cultural centers near Casablanca
Morocco's King Mohammed VI dedicated this Thursday in Dar Bouazza (17 km south of Casablanca), a girls and a cultural center, two projects carried out by the Mohammed V solidarity foundation. Morocco, Culture, 10/22/2004 - Mercosur 'ready' to sign preferential accord with Morocco
The common market of the South (Mercosur) is "ready" to sign a preferential accord with Morocco, in the prospect of reaching a free trade agreement, reported Monday the Brazilian press agency "ANBA." Morocco-Brazil, Politics, 10/20/2004 - UN vote on Sahara issue shows international community commitment to political solution
The result of the vote of the UN Security Council 4th committee on the Algerian draft resolution on the Sahara issue shows that the international community remains committed to a political, negotiated and lasting solution to the nearly three-decade dispute, said the Moroccan Foreign Ministry. Morocco-UN, Politics, 10/20/2004 - Morocco's diplomat: the vote on the Algerian draft resolution, a clear signal to S.G.
The vote on Monday by the United Nations of the Algerian-proposed draft resolution on the Sahara sends "a clear signal to Mr. Kofi Annan and to his special representative to go forward and well beyond the Baker plan and to try to find a common denominator between the parties," said Morocco's delegate to the UN Mohamed Bennouna. Morocco-UN, Politics, 10/20/2004 - Sahara issue tops Moroccan political leader's talks in Berlin
The Sahara issue topped the talks held here on Monday by first secretary of the Moroccan USFP party (socialist union of popular forces), Mohamed El Yazghi, and leaders of the German social democrat party (SPD), including the SPD first secretary Franz Muentefering. Morocco-Germany, Politics, 10/20/2004 - King Mohammed VI dedicates training center for women inmates in Casablanca
Morocco's King Mohammed VI dedicated this Tuesday a vocational training center at the females pavilion of the prison of Ain sebaa, Casablanca. Morocco, Local, 10/20/2004 - underdevelopment, colonialism, civilisation clash have not helped in 'understanding the other', lecturer
Underdevelopment, colonialism, cold war, civilisation clash and ideological differences have not helped "to understand the other so as to treat him on an equal footing," said a lecturer at the start of the religious lecture cycle chaired every year by Morocco's King Mohammed VI on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan (fasting month). Morocco, Religion, 10/20/2004 - King resolved to endeavour with pope for peace and co-existence in Middle East Morocco-Vatican, Politics, 10/20/2004
- Over 900 cattle heads affected by Blue Tongue disease
Some 971 cattle heads were reported affected by the Blue Tongue disease since last September 16 when the condition first appeared in Morocco, says the ministry of agriculture, rural development and sea fisheries. Morocco, Local, 10/20/2004 - Moroccan king holds phone talks with UN chief on Sahara issue
King Mohammed VI of Morocco held Saturday phone talks with the United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, on the Sahara issue. Morocco-UN, Politics, 10/19/2004 - King Mohammed dedicates vocational training center for minor inmates
Morocco's King Mohammed VI dedicated this Monday in the town of Sale, near Rabat, a vocational training center for minor inmates, built by the Mohammed VI foundation for the reintegration of detainees. Morocco, Education, 10/19/2004 - Moroccan-Mauritanian fisheries coordination in international market focus of joint commission
The Moroccan-Mauritanian joint commission on fisheries held a meeting, in Nouakchott Sunday, to discuss the coordination of the two countries' action in sea products marketing to face international challenges. Mauritania-Morocco, Economics, 10/19/2004 - Launch of a 'Koran radio' to fight religious fundamentalism
A radio station devoted entirely to the holy Koran and to the explanation of a "tolerant" Islam has been launched in partnership between the Moroccan Ministry of Habous (public endowments) and Islamic Affairs, and the national radio RTM. Morocco, Politics, 10/19/2004 - Illiteracy blamed for 40 percent of poverty in Morocco, official
Illiteracy is held responsible for 40 percent of poverty in Morocco, according to the Secretary of State for Alphabetisation and Non Formal Education who said studies have shown that investment in human capital is fundamental for economic growth. Morocco, Education, 10/19/2004 - Conference discusses means to promote Amazigh culture in Morocco
A conference, held Saturday in Rabat, reviewed the results of the action taken to promote the Amazigh culture in Morocco and discussed the prospects of the development of Tamazight, language of the Berbers (Imazighen) of North Africa. Morocco, Politics, 10/19/2004 - Zapatero: relations with Morocco crucial for stability in Maghreb Morocco-Spain, Politics, 10/19/2004