Arabic News Weekly Edition for Morocco, 3/7/2005
Weekly Edition, Morocco - Week of March 7, 2005
- U.S. supports 'reliable census' of Tindouf population, urges Algiers and Polisario to cooperate with HCR
Morocco's call for a "reliable and modern census" of the population in the Polisario-controlled camps of Tindouf (southwest Algeria) was echoed by the U.S. delegation in Geneva which urged the separatist movement and its backer Algeria, to collaborate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (HCR). Morocco-USA, Politics, 3/10/2005 - Settlement of Sahara dispute should be the 'fruit of negotiations' between the parties, Kofi Annan
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan on Wednesday insisted that the Sahara dispute opposing Morocco to the Algerian-backed separatist movement "Polisario" should be settled through negotiations between the parties. Morocco-UN, Politics, 3/10/2005 - Tindouf population size overestimated by UN bodies, says Morocco
Morocco renewed on Wednesday its call to the United Nations High commissioner for refugees (UNHCR) to conduct a reliable census of the populations in the Polisario-controlled Tindouf camps (southern Algeria), insisting that the actual size of this population is overestimated by the UN various bodies. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 3/10/2005 - Former UN official expects political compromise on Sahara
Time may bring a political compromise on the Sahara issue, said former UN secretary general's special representative for the Sahara, Hon Erik Jensen. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 3/10/2005 - Extended regionalization may be solution to Sahara dispute, Seminar
Participants in a seminar pointed out, in Rabat Wednesday, that the Sahara issue may be resolved through an "extended regionalization," while other participants called for withdrawing this question from the United Nations Security Council to submit it to the General Assembly. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 3/10/2005 - Benin Speaker hails Morocco's initiatives in favor of Africa Morocco-Benin, Politics, 3/10/2005
- Morocco's external debt declined by 9% in 2004, minister
Morocco's external debt stood at MAD 115 billion (MAD 1 = Euro 0.1) in 2004, against MAD 126 billion in 2003, i.e. a decline of 9%, announced, in Rabat Wednesday, the Minister of Finance and Privatization, Fathallah Oualalou. Morocco, Economics, 3/10/2005 - RAM fleet reinforced by a new Boeing
Morocco's national flag carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) acquired, Wednesday, a new Boeing 737-800 of the latest generation, said a RAM press release. Morocco, Business, 3/10/2005 - Combating drug cultivation, a priority for Morocco, diplomat
Morocco has made of the fight against drug cultivation and production a "national priority," said the Kingdom's permanent representative to the international organisations in Vienna. Morocco, Local, 3/10/2005 - Morocco has 'come back with force to African scene', seminar
Morocco has come back with force to the African scene, filling the gap caused by its withdrawal from the former Organization of the African Union (OAU) in 1984, deemed, on Tuesday, participants in a conference on the Sahara being held in Rabat. Morocco, Politics, 3/9/2005 - IER to resume public hearings on past human rights violations in Morocco IER to resume public hearings on past human rights violations in Morocco
The Justice and Reconciliation Commission (IER) will hold on March 16 in Marrakech (south) and Al-Hoceima (north-east) a new series of public hearings to shed light on past human rights violations in Morocco during the 1956-1999 period and seek out-of-court settlement to these breaches. Morocco, Politics, 3/9/2005 - Moroccan-Spanish jointly patrol southern Spanish coasts
A Moroccan-Spanish joint patrols started on Monday monitoring the Spanish southern coasts off the city of Almeria after the 1st stage of this operation was conducted from Feb.7 through 13 on the Moroccan Mediterranean coasts. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 3/9/2005 - Police dismantles drug and human smuggling gang in Casablanca
Five members of a drug and human smuggling gang have been arrested recently in Casablanca, police sources said in Casablanca Tuesday. Morocco, Local, 3/9/2005 - Maroc Telecom interested in Senegalese market, Senegalese presidency Morocco-Senegal, Business, 3/9/2005
- Belgium confirms European arrest warrant concerning Youssef Belhaj
Belgium justice department confirmed Tuesday Spain issued a European arrest warrant regarding the extradition of Moroccan national Youssef Belhaj, suspected of involvement in the terrorist attacks of March 11, 2004, in Madrid. Morocco-Belgium, Local, 3/9/2005 - Over 2.5 tons of drugs seized since January 2005, police
Some 2,517 kg of drugs have been seized in separate operations since the beginning of 2005, said port police in the northern Moroccan town of Tangier. Morocco, Local, 3/9/2005 - Further reforms needed to promote women's situation in Morocco, media
The Moroccan press underlined Tuesday, on the occasion of the International Women's Day, that despite the important strides made in Morocco, further reforms are needed to give women their due status. Morocco, Politics, 3/8/2005 - No contradiction between Islam and modernity, King's advisor Morocco, Politics, 3/8/2005
- Sahara is part and parcel of Morocco, former diplomat
"Moroccans should remain mobilized to defend this cause because the Sahara is part of the spiritual and historical capital of Morocco," said Snoussi in an interview published Tuesday by the "Le Matin du Sahara et du Maghreb." Morocco, Politics, 3/8/2005 - Morocco to help Mauritania in artificial rain
Morocco will bring technical assistance to a Mauritanian artificial rain program, it was announced at the end of private talks held here this Monday between visiting King Mohammed VI and Mauritania's president Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya. Morocco-Mauritania, Politics, 3/8/2005 - Morocco: A model of women rights in the Arab states, meeting
The promotion of women rights through the adoption of a new Family Code in Morocco was discussed at a round table organized by the American Council on Foreign Relations, on "Morocco as a model for the Arab world." Morocco, Politics, 3/8/2005 - Morocco draws Spain, Honduras, and Chile
Morocco's Men's Youth (U-20) Team will play Spain, Honduras and Chile in group C at the FIFA World Youth Championship Netherlands 2005. Morocco, Sports, 3/8/2005 - Spain arrests Moroccan in connection with Madrid attacks
Spanish police arrested Tuesday Moroccan Jaouad El Bouzrouti for alleged involvement in March 11 attacks in Madrid that claimed the lives of 191 people. Morocco-Spain, Local, 3/8/2005 - Moroccan and Turkish immigrants are main victims of discrimination in employment Morocco-Belgium, Local, 3/8/2005
- Gigantic march voices outrage over continued sequestration of Moroccans in polisario camps
They came on Sunday in tens of thousands to Rabat filling all downtown streets, stretching over kilometres, to ask in unison for the immediate and unconditional liberation of the Moroccans Sequestrated in polisario camps in Tindouf, South-West Algeria. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 3/7/2005 - King Mohammed starts visit to Mauritania
Morocco's King Mohammed VI arrived this Monday afternoon in Nouakchott, on a working and friendship visit, coming from Senegal. Mauritania-Morocco, Politics, 3/7/2005 - Polisario separatists burn Moroccan detainees in southwest Algeria, NGO
A Moroccan Sahara-based NGO has accused the separatists of being behind the recent arson that claimed the life of a family in a camp in southwest Algeria, controlled by the Polisario. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 3/7/2005 - Better aware of their rights, women are more apt to enjoy them
If the rights of Moroccan women have experienced significant evolutions, it remains nevertheless true that better awareness of these rights make women more apt to exercise them. Morocco, Politics, 3/7/2005 - Sit-ins abroad for release of Moroccan detainees in southern Algeria
Moroccan expatriates in London, Paris and Montreal rallied Sunday to call for the release of their fellow countrymen who are detained in the Tindouf camps (southwest Algeria) by the Algeria-backed Polisario front that is claiming the separation of the kingdom's Southern Provinces (known as the Sahara). Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 3/7/2005 - Moroccan civil society calls for ending the tragedy of sequestrated Moroccans
The Moroccan civil society on Sunday called the international community to act to put an end to the tragedy befalling the Moroccans sequestrated in polisario Tindouf camps, located in South-West Algeria. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 3/7/2005 - Morocco eyes Kuwait investments in tourism
Morocco hopes to attract Kuwaiti investments to its tourism sector part of its plan that aims to attract 10 million tourists to the north African country by 2010. Kuwait-Morocco, Economics, 3/7/2005 - Five post employees office behind bars
Five employees in the Moroccan post office (Barid Al-Maghrib) were arrested last Thursday for stealing parcels and mail coming from abroad. Morocco, Local, 3/7/2005