Arabic News Weekly Edition for Morocco, 4/18/2005
Weekly Edition, Morocco - Week of April 18, 2005
- Morocco reiterates commitment to negotiate with all parties Sahara issue solution
Morocco reiterated on Thursday its commitment to hold negotiations with all parties, under the United Nations auspices, to reach a fair, final and mutually-acceptable solution to the Sahara issue. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 4/23/2005 - French fund grants Morocco Euro 25 million loan for railway
The French Development Agency (AFD) has extended the Moroccan state-owned railway office a Euro 25 million loan destined to partially finance a railway between the northern city of Tangier and the new Tangier-Mediterranean port. Morocco-France, Economics, 4/23/2005 - French goal keeper gets 3-month ban for spitting at Moroccan ref
Olympic de Marseille (France) goal keeper Fabien Barthez was banned for six months, including suspended three months, for spitting at Moroccan referee, Abdallah El Achiri, during a friendly last February between his club and Wydad Casablanca. Morocco-France, Sports, 4/23/2005 - Moroccan NGO presses on for restitution of embezzled public funds
The Moroccan organization for the protection of public funds sent on Wednesday a letter to the House of Representatives requesting the creation of an independent truth commission on the restitution of embezzled public funds. Morocco, Politics, 4/22/2005 - Islamic affairs minister briefs king on activities of Ulema Councils
He went on that the higher Ulema council, which supervises all the provincial councils, has developed its own rules of procedure and those of the body in charge of the Fatwa (religious edicts). The body in charge of fatwas was created to put an end to the anarchy that used to prevail in religious opinions. Morocco-Regional, Religion, 4/22/2005 - King Mohammed chairs religious ceremony on Prophet's Birthday
King Mohammed VI, Amir Al Mouminine (commander of the faithful) chaired Wednesday, on the occasion of Aid Al-Mawlid (prophet's birthday) a religious ceremony at the Mausoleum of Sidi Mohamed Al Hadi Benaissa (AKA Cheikh Al Kamel), Saint patron of the city of Meknes (150 km northeast of Rabat). Morocco, Religion, 4/22/2005 - Moroccan government unveils anti-corruption action plan
The Moroccan government unveiled on Wednesday a new action plan to struggle against corruption. Morocco, Politics, 4/21/2005 - Civil society, pillar to support women rights promotion, conference
Guaranteeing success to women MPs, who are militating for the promotion of women rights, requires the support of the civil society and that of electors, vented the president of the Moroccan-Finish Friendship Commission. Morocco, Culture, 4/21/2005 - Madagascar deems 'very important' Morocco's completion of its territorial integrity
Visiting President of Madagascar, Marc Ravalomanana has deemed it "very important" for Morocco to have a united territory and to complete its territorial integrity. Morocco-Madagascar, Politics, 4/21/2005 - UN chief ready to help parties reach 'political solution' to Sahara dispute
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has voiced willingness to help "parties" reach a political solution to the Sahara dispute opposing Morocco to the Algerian-backed separatist movement "Polisario." Morocco-UN, Politics, 4/21/2005 - Foreign Trade Ministry measures to remedy trade deficit
Encouraging investment in exports, concluding free trade agreements, and pursuing trade negotiations especially with African countries, are among the measures the Ministry of Foreign Trade has taken to limit trade deficit, said Tuesday, Morocco's Minister Mustapha Mechahouri. Morocco, Economics, 4/21/2005 - Road accidents drop in Morocco first time in a decade, Minister
During the last ten years, road accidents increased at a yearly basis of 3pc, causing enormous economic losses. They cost Morocco annually over 1 billion Euro, that is 2.5 percent of the GDP. Morocco, Economics, 4/21/2005 - Six cocaine traffickers arrested in Fez
Six persons were arrested recently as the police dismantled two cocaine trafficking webs operating between the cities of Fez and Casablanca and northern Morocco. Morocco, Local, 4/21/2005 - Temsamani cleared of terrorism charges Morocco, Local, 4/21/2005
- Tennis Grand Prix La Princesse Lalla Meryem to kick off in rabat
The 5th edition of the international Grand Prix La Princesse Lalla Meryem of tennis will kick off, here april 30. Morocco-Regional, Sports, 4/21/2005 - Romania backs political solution to Sahara issue, official
"Romania has never recognized SADR" (Sahrawi republic, self-proclaimed by the Polisario separatists) and it has always supported Morocco's territorial integrity, noted the special representative who started on April 13 a seven-day visit to Morocco. Morocco-Romania, Politics, 4/20/2005 - Moroccan economic growth 'insufficient' for job opportunities, WB official
The economic growth rate in Morocco, which is situated at 4%, and the structural reforms the country carries out are "insufficient" to create new job opportunities, said here Tuesday the World Bank Chief Economist for the Middle East and North Africa Region. Morocco, Economics, 4/20/2005 - Morocco, a model for countries in the region, US official
Morocco is realizing interesting projects that bring high hopes to Moroccans and that make the country a model to follow for countries in the region, each according to its traditions and priorities, said on Monday American under secretary for the Middle East, David Welch. Morocco-USA, Politics, 4/20/2005 - Morocco's GDP 'under-evaluated', official
Morocco's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is "under-evaluated" because informal economy is not included in accounting, said the Vice President of the Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. Morocco, Economics, 4/20/2005 - Over 9,000 km of rural roads built in 2004
Morocco extended rural roads network to reach 9,276 km in 2004, said the Ministry of Equipment and Transports. Morocco, Economics, 4/20/2005 - Two US oil companies get drilling licence in Morocco
Morocco has granted onshore oil drilling licences to two US companies "Direct Petroleum Morocco Inc" and "Anschutz Morocco Corporation" to conduct evaluation of the oil potential in the Moroccan region of Asilah-Tissa. Morocco-USA, Business, 4/20/2005 - Moroccan car thieves network dismantled in Spain
Spanish police has recently dismantled, in the region of Alicante (East) an eleven-member gang specialized in stealing cars and selling them in Morocco, police sources said. Morocco-Spain, Local, 4/20/2005 - Morocco's Abdessadki likely to join Newcastle
Moroccan international midfielder, Yacine Abdessadki is likely to join the English Premier League side Newcastle next season, according to French first division team, RC Strasbourg. Morocco, Sports, 4/20/2005 - King reaffirms support to Syria's right to recover Golan Morocco-Syria, Politics, 4/19/2005
- NGO denounces 'atrocities' in Tindouf camps before UN rights commission
An NGO has strongly denounced, on Monday, before the United Nations human rights commission, the "atrocities" and "barbarous violations" committed by the Polisario Front in Tindouf camps (Algeria). Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 4/19/2005 - King Mohammed VI receives US assistant secretary of state for Middle East Morocco-USA, Politics, 4/19/2005
- Rota shipwreck victim identified
The body of a man, who perished along with 36 other Moroccan illegal emigrants in October 2003 when their dinghy shipwrecked off Rota coasts (Cadiz, Southern Spain), has finally been identified, and may be repatriated to Morocco this week, official sources said here Monday. Morocco, Local, 4/19/2005 - Over 8 tons of Hashish seized in Morocco Morocco, Local, 4/19/2005
- Lahcen Ahansal wins Marathon des Sables
Moroccan runner, Lahcen Ahansal and Luxembourg's Simone Keyser Diederich won, in Ouarzazate (south) Saturday, the Marathon des Sables title. Morocco, Sports, 4/19/2005 - Morocco's Jaouad Gharib second in London Marathon
Morocco's reigning world champion, Jaouad Gharib crossed, here Sunday, the 25th Flora London Marathon finish line second after Kenyan Martin Lel. Morocco, Local, 4/19/2005 - Seminar qualifies as 'excessive' decision to ban Lmrabet from reporting
A seminar of Mediterranean journalists described, in Ameria, Spain, Saturday, as "excessive" the Moroccan justice's decision last Tuesday to ban the Moroccan journalist Ali Lmrabet from reporting for 10 years. Morocco, Politics, 4/18/2005 - Al Ahram Al-Arabi: relations between Morocco, Algeria grow warmer
The participation of Morocco's King Mohammed VI in the Arab summit, held last March in the Algerian capital, helped Morocco and Algeria take steps toward warmer relations, commented on Friday the Egyptian magazine "Al Ahram Al-Arabi." Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 4/18/2005 - Jeune Afrique l'Intelligent: Serious drop in number of countries recognizing Polisario's SADR
The number of countries recognizing the Polisario Front's self-proclaimed Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) is "seriously dropping," noted "Jeune Afrique l'Intelligent" weekly in its latest edition. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 4/18/2005