Arabic News Weekly Edition for Morocco, 6/6/2005
Weekly Edition, Morocco - Week of June 6, 2005
- Daily director subpoenaed for running anti-monarchy statments
Director of "Aujourd'hui le Maroc" daily, Khalid Hachimi Idrissi, was subpoenaed on Friday by the judiciary police at the request of the Rabat first instance court prosecutor. Morocco, Politics, 6/11/2005 - Islamist activist statements 'oppose deep beliefs of Moroccan nation,' official
The Moroccan government Spokesman, Nabil Benandellah, affirmed Thursday the statements of the Islamist activist Nadia Yassine, who said "monarchy is not suitable for Morocco," oppose the "deep beliefs of the Moroccan nation." Morocco, Politics, 6/11/2005 - Sahara issue settlement lies in respect of Moroccan sovereignty, El Yazghi
The political solution to the Sahara conflict lies in the respect of the sovereignty of Morocco over its Southern provinces and this is the sole means to put an end to this artificial conflict that affects the region and its stability and security, said in Bouznika on Friday Mohamed El Yazghi. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 6/11/2005 - Six people sentenced to between one to 15 years in prison
The Rabat appellate court condemned on Friday six people, indicted under the anti-terrorist Act, to prison terms ranging from one year suspended sentence to 15 years of imprisonment. Morocco, Local, 6/11/2005 - Moroccan associations in Spain denounce peaceful demonstration banning
Several associations of Moroccans based in Spain denounced the banning of a demonstration they asked to stage in Madrid to protest the Algerian acts hostile to the Moroccan territorial integrity as well as instigations by some Spanish organisations to interfere in Moroccan internal affairs. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 6/11/2005 - Catalan deputies sent home by Morocco tried to 'act like stars', Catalan MP
The Catalan parliamentarians who were denied entry, Wednesday, to the Moroccan southern city of Laayoune, were trying to "act like stars," deplored, here Thursday, deputy of the Socialist Party of Catalonia, Juan Manuel Jaime. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 6/11/2005 - Rumours on Dirham devaluation groundless, ministry
No action on the change of the Moroccan currency exchange rate is slated, the finance ministry said denying the rumours ran by some media lately concerning a would-be devaluation of the Dirham. Morocco, Economics, 6/11/2005 - Some 65% of Moroccan expatriates prefer to settle in Morocco after retirement, survey
Sixty-five per cent of Moroccan Expatriates would settle definitely in Morocco after reaching the retirement age, against 28% who would remain in the host country and 7% undecided, according to a survey launched in 2003 among a sample of 1000 expatriates. Morocco, Economics, 6/11/2005 - Spain condemns Moroccan human smuggler to six years in jail
A Spanish court sentenced a Moroccan citizen to 6 years in jail, on charges of smuggling 34 illegal emigrants into the Spanish territory in 2004. Morocco-Spain, Local, 6/11/2005 - Moroccan exports growth estimated at 3.6% in 2000-04 Morocco, Economics, 6/11/2005
- L'Equipe: Morocco's Marouane Chemmakh worth eight million euros
Moroccan international and Girondins de Bordeaux striker, Marouane Chemmakh transfer fee is estimated at eight million euros, said on Friday the French sport daily newspaper "L'Equipe." Morocco, Sports, 6/11/2005 - Morocco, Spain to secure 2005 transit-operation success Morocco-Spain, Local, 6/11/2005
- Nadia Yassine and weekly director cases sent to court
Nadia Yassine, member of the "Al Adl Wal Ihssane" movement, and Abdelaziz Koukas, Director of the weekly "Al Ousbouaaya Al Jadida" cases will be sent to court on June 28, judiciary sources said in Rabat Thursday. Morocco, Politics, 6/10/2005 - Fundamentalist organization spokesman summoned by prosecutor
Spokesman of the officially non-recognized "Al Adl Wal Ihssane" organization, Fathallah Arsalane, was summoned Thursday afternoon by the judiciary police at the request of the Rabat first instance court prosecutor, according to sources in Rabat. Morocco, Politics, 6/10/2005 - Assahra Al Maghribiya: Families say their children manipulated in Laayoune incidents
The families of the people arrested during the Laayoune events said "their children were deceived by several adventurers who took advantage of the naivety of the teenagers" to serve the interests of the separatists Morocco, Politics, 6/10/2005 - Morocco succeeds in curbing illegal emigration, minister
Morocco succeeded in 2004 to curb by 27% the number of candidates to illegal emigration, and recorded a 61% increase of dismantled of illegal emigration networks, said Thursday, Moroccan Interior minister Al Mostafa Sahel. Morocco, Local, 6/10/2005 - Moroccan GNF1 next-to-last day promises spicy showdowns
The 29th and next-to-last day of the Moroccan soccer first division GNF1 promises spicy decisive showdowns on the top and bottom of the standing. Morocco, Sports, 6/10/2005 - Agadir to host first international beach rugby tournament
Agadir will host the first international beach rugby tournament slated for June 18-19. Morocco, Sports, 6/10/2005 - Algerian Algerian prime minister expected in Morocco Algeria-Morocco, Politics, 6/9/2005
- Moroccan press lashes out at Islamist anti-monarchy statements
The Moroccan press lashed out at Nadia Yassine's latest declaration stating that the monarchy does not suit Morocco. Morocco, Politics, 6/9/2005 - King Mohammed sends message to Mauritanian President
Mauritanian President, Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya received in Nouakchott Wednesday Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Mohamed Benaissa who conveyed to the Mauritanian President a message from King Mohammed VI. Mauritania-Morocco, Politics, 6/9/2005 - Pro-separatists Catalan MPs seek to mar Morocco-Spanish relations, Minister
The Catalan deputies that were sent home from the Moroccan southern city of Laayoune wanted to mar relations between Morocco and Spain through triggering bad incidents, Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs, Taib Fassi Fihri, said in Cordoba, southern Spain, Wednesday. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 6/9/2005 - L'Opinion: Salafist and Polisario groups turn desert into international terror base, daily
The Algerian Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) and the "Polisario" are part of terrorist organisations belonging to various religious obediences and ethnic origins operating in vast desert areas of the Sahara and the Sahel, said Wednesday the Moroccan "L'Opinion" daily. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 6/9/2005 - Morocco-Iraqi agreements on oil supply upheld, ambassador
The Iraqi ambassador in Rabat, Abdelmohsen Mohamed Said confirmed that the bilateral agreements under which Iraq commits to sell oil to Morocco for a preferential price are upheld. Morocco-Iraq, Politics, 6/9/2005 - Morocco ponders pegging domestic oil prices to international market
Moroccan minister of Finance and Privatization, Fathallah Oualalou highlighted, here Wednesday, the need to re-implement the system that pegs domestic oil prices to international market. Morocco, Economics, 6/9/2005 - Sales of telecommunication sector in Morocco tripled
The sales volume of the telecommunications sector has increased three folds between 1998 and 2004, and it currently represents 5pc of the GDP, said Abdeslam Ahizoune CEO of Maroc Telecom. Morocco, Economics, 6/9/2005 - Canadian international companies to prospect in Morocco
Canadian international companies, Stratic Energy Corp. and Transatlantic Maroc Ltd will prospect the Guercif-Beni Znassen region (east) under a contract signed in Rabat Wednesday, said a communique of the Moroccan Office of Hydrocarbons and Mining (ONHYM). Morocco-Canada, Economics, 6/9/2005 - National carrier to reinforce fleet to serve Africa
Morocco's national flag carrier, Royal Air Maroc (RAM), is mulling the reinforcement of its fleet to serve new lines especially in the African continent, revealed, here Wednesday, Mohamed Berrada, RAM Chief Executive Officer. Morocco, Business, 6/9/2005 - Pleas for constructive dialogue between Moroccan, Spanish civil societies on Sahara conflict
The Moroccan Minister delegate for Foreign affairs on Wednesday called for a "constructive" dialogue between the Moroccan and Spanish civil societies on the Sahara dispute. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 6/9/2005 - Acquittal of Moroccan 9/11 suspect upheld Morocco-Germany, Local, 6/9/2005
- Pragmatic actions adopted to promote Morocco in U.S., US diplomat
US ambassador in Rabat, Thomas Riley, said his country has adopted a pragmatic drive to promote Morocco in the United States after the two countries signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) last June 15. Morocco-USA, Economics, 6/9/2005 - Morocco to be admitted to IMF Data Dissemination Standards in October
Data dissemination standards help enhance the availability of timely and comprehensive statistics, which contributes to the pursuit of sound macroeconomic policies. Morocco, Economics, 6/8/2005 - Morocco, Spain agree to re-launch search for Sahara conflict solution, communique
Morocco and Spain agreed on the need to "re-launch the search for a solution to the Sahara conflict which has been going on for more than thirty years," a communique of the Spanish foreign ministry said on Tuesday. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 6/8/2005 - Paintings on Algerian resister by French artist presented in Fez museum
Paintings inspired from the spiritual writings and poems of humanist intellectual and symbol of the Algerian resistance to colonial power, Emir Abdelkader, are exhibited in the Batha museum of the Central city of Fez. Morocco-Algeria, Culture, 6/8/2005 - El Watan: Lack of Maghreb integration blocks Barcelona process, official
The Moroccan Industry Minister has deplored that the lack of Maghreb integration is a "factor that blocks the implementation of the Barcelona process" which lays foundations of a regional relationship between the European Union and partners of the Southern Mediterranean. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 6/8/2005 - Appeal court reduces sentences in drug-lord case
The appeal court of Rabat reduced Monday the sentences of the main defendants in the case of the drug lord 'Jeblia' network that is sued for drug-trafficking, and acquitted other defendants. Morocco, Local, 6/8/2005 - RAM contributes to creation of Gabonese carrier
The Moroccan carrier, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) will contribute to the creation of a new Gabonese airliner dubbed "Air Gabon International," announced a RAM official. Morocco-Gabon, Business, 6/8/2005 - New air line to link Algiers to Casablanca
The Moroccan carrier "Royal Air Maroc" is flying an additional trip between Algiers and Casablanca as of July 1st on Fridays, according to RAM sources. Morocco, Business, 6/8/2005 - King calls for 'energizing' Maghreb Arab Union Libya-Morocco, Politics, 6/8/2005
- Government dedicates US$ 33 million to upgrade soccer in Morocco
The government will dedicate MAD 280 million (nearly US$ 33 million) to upgrade the Moroccan soccer under a contract-action plan signed Tuesday. Morocco, Sports, 6/8/2005 - Morocco's basketball team reaches African Cup of Nations finals
Morocco's basketball team clinched officially a ticket to the African Cup of Nations finals, said, here Tuesday, Moroccan Basketball Federation. Morocco, Sports, 6/8/2005 - Benaissa calls Spanish media to be unbiased in Sahara issue
Visiting Moroccan Foreign Minister Mohamed Benaissa on Monday called on the Spanish media to be unbiased and objective while dealing with the Sahara dispute that opposes Morocco to the Algeria-backed Polisario Front. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 6/7/2005 - Morocco never refuses objective visitors, ambassador
Moroccan ambassador to Spain, Omar Azziman said in Madrid Monday Morocco never refused to anyone abiding by "objectivity guarantees" to visit the Sahara, stressing the Spanish delegation which was denied entry to Laayoune was biased in favour of the separatist "Polisario" movement. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 6/7/2005 - 'Memoire en detention' grabs Golden Falcon in Rotterdam
"Memoire en detention" (Imprisoned memory) of the Moroccan movie director Jilali Ferhati was awarded the Golden Falcon, the most prestigious award of the Rotterdam International Film Festival that wrapped up, Sunday, its fifth edition. Morocco, Local, 6/7/2005 - La Gazette du Maroc: Some Algerian generals oppose solution to Sahara conflict, former counterintelligence official
As long as some Algerian Generals are still in power, we "cannot hope for a normalization between Morocco and Algeria or for a solution to the Sahara conflict," stated Colonel Mohamed Samraoui, former aid of head of Algerian counterintelligence service (DRS), Smain Lamari. Morocco-Algeria, Politics, 6/6/2005 - Autonomy within Morocco 'realistic solution' to Sahara conflict, Erik Jensen
A large autonomy of the Sahara within Morocco would be "the most realistic solution to the Sahara conflict," said in Madrid Saturday, Erik Jensen, former special representative of the UN Secretary general for the Sahara. Morocco-UN, Politics, 6/6/2005 - Morocco denies entry to pro-Polisario Spanish delegation
Local authorities of Laayoune denied Sunday entry to a Pro-Polisario Spanish delegation for "lack of official authorization to practice political activities in the city" and for "biased support" to the Polisario separatists. Morocco-Spain, Politics, 6/6/2005