Bouteflika sends message of regret to Moroccan king
Algeria, Politics, 10/4/99
Algerian President Abdul Aziz Bouteflika has expressed his regret and disappointment over behaviors he did not specify. This was expressed in a message read on Algerian television on Saturday night, addressed to Morocco's King Muhammad VI.
In his message the Algerian president said, "I could not allow myself, neither today nor tomorrow, to lie on my sentiments of indignation and deception in front of behaviours, that your majesty would not accept, but that are concrete truths, well and daily present."
The Algerian president indicated in his reply to the message of congratulations he received from the Moroccan king following the success of the referendum over the civil reconciliation law, to help the armed groups in Algeria received when they resort to the Moroccan territories and to the prison sentences released against Algerians who do not have legal residency in Morocco.
At the beginning of September President Bouteflika accused Morocco of sheltering armed men especially those who carried out the Beni Ounif massacre, in western Algeria, which claimed the life of 29 persons in August. Morocco at that time denied the Algerian accusations.
The Algerian President continued his message as saying, "I would have wished being reassured about the Algerian people who is treating its wounds as you know, a people deceived by the barbarous massacre of Beni Ounif that revived ancient pains."
The Algerian President said: "I have been accustomed to a concept that enriched the Arab political lexicon from the Atlantic to the Gulf consequently to the successive tests to which the Arab nation was confronted because of the sinister Gulf War. This concept is "reconciliation before frankness or frankness before reconciliation?".
He added "I could not allow myself, neither today nor tomorrow, to lie on my sentiments of indignation and deception in front of behaviours, that your majesty would not accept, but that are concrete truths, well and daily present. I am convinced about the sincerity of your sentiments and your kindness, with such sincerity. I always belong to the ancient school believing that your friend is the one who is frank with you and not the one who believes you.....I will be understanding in all situations even abnormal ones dictating this fraternal sincerity on the basis of reciprocity principle that implies sincerity, frankness and commitment."
The Algerian president said "it necessary that brothers play mediators between brothers, or that friends do the same between friends, what would you say about foreigners between brothers and friends?"
He added "I am ready to talk without any reserve about all the questions"
Delegation of French senate visits Laayoune
Morocco, Politics, 10/4/99
A delegation from the foreign affairs committee at the French senate, paid an information visit to the Moroccan southern city of Laayoune on Saturday.
The delegation, led by the committee chairman, Xavier Villepin, visited a number of socio-economic development projects in the city, including a sea water desalination unit, and several industrial plants.
The French delegation was briefed on the investments poured in the province and how they are used to promote local and regional development, as well as on Morocco's struggle to defend its independence and unity.
Delegates of Sahrawi women associations and a number of Sahrawis, who defected the polisario and returned home; depicted before the French delegation the tragic situation of the populations sequestered by the polisario in the tindouf camps (south-western Algeria) and asked the senators to inform the French, European and international public opinion on these realties, in a bid to contribute to lifting the blockade on these populations and enable them to return home.
The polisario, an algerian-backed guerilla movement, is claiming the independence of the Sahara, a former Spanish colony that was retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid accords.
The U.N is now trying to hold a referendum in the territory, to determine whether the Sahara will set up on its own or remain part of Morocco. A U.N mission, the MINURSO, is currently deployed in the region to supervise the various phases of the referendum.
The French delegation visited the MINURSO headquarters in Laayoune and held a meeting with some executives of the U.N mission.
The head of the French delegation told MAP bureau here upon leaving the city that he is impressed by the Moroccan people's attachment to the throne and by their unfailing mobilization behind their sovereign.
Xavier Villepin and his accompanying delegation had conferred earlier in the week in Rabat with several members of the cabinet, including prime minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi, and with members of the parliament.
Speaker of the chamber of advisers (upper house), Jalal Essaid, called at a meeting with the French delegation for the holding of a joint scientific conference on the bi-cameral system to expound the experience of Morocco and France in the field.
The French side welcomed the idea as likely to promote cooperation and dialogue between the two countries' parliaments.
Concluding the second meeting of the US - Maghreb trade chambers
Maghreb Region, Economics, 10/4/99
The second meeting of the US - Maghreb trade chambers concluded today in the Tunisian capital, aiming at increasing commercial exchange and joint investment among Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and the USA.
Tunisian Minister of Industry Moncef Ben Abdallah said that the concluding statement of the meeting emphasized the importance of coordinating legislation among partners in these meetings to achieve a high standard of economic integration.
He added that the meetings aim at raising the private sector's role and increasing the volume of investment, as well as commercial exchange between the Arab Maghreb and the USA.
Sheikh Zayed receives Morocco's Prince Moulay
United Arab Emirates, Politics, 10/4/99
President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al-Nahyan on Sunday in Abu Dhabi received Morocco's Prince Moulay Rachid who delivered a message from King Mohammed VI. The content of the message was not disclosed. Prince Moulay Rachid also conferred with the heir apparent Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, and with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed.
Prince Moulay Rachid was accompanied by Minister of Endowment and Islamic affairs, Abdelkebir M'Daghri Alaoui, and adviser to the king, Allal Sinaceur.
French President receives Moroccan minister of foreign affairs
Morocco, Politics, 10/4/99
King Mohammed VI has sent French president, Jacques Chirac, a message that was conveyed last Friday by minister of foreign affairs and cooperation, Mohamed Benaissa, said a source of the Moroccan embassy in Paris.
The French head of state received on Friday the King's envoy, said the source without elaborating on the content of the message.
EU delegation to visit Algeria
Algeria, Politics, 10/4/99
Algerian official sources said on Sunday in Algiers that a delegation representing the European Union led by the Finnish coordinating ambassador for the Barcelona process will visit Algeria on Thursday to hold talks with Algerian officials concerning the Euro-Mediterranean partnership.
The European delegation will hold a work session with Algerian experts concerned with Euro-Mediterranean cooperation and officials for the European department at the Algerian Foreign Ministry.
Moroccan and Spanish trade unions call for consolidation of technical and social cooperation
Morocco, Economics, 10/4/99
Spanish and Moroccan trade unions in a meeting held in Tetuan (northern Morocco) last week called for the consolidation of technical and social cooperation.
The inter-trade union meeting argued that cooperation should cover the training of youth, women and unionists. Participants also urged for seeking new methods to support economy by encouraging socio-economic projects in northern Morocco and recommended the creation of joint cooperatives in sea fisheries and agriculture.
In tourism, the meeting recommended to encourage the environment component, improve the tourism product, compile a tourism guide on northern Morocco and promote cultural and leisure events.
Regarding the issue of migration, participants said it was necessary to promote the legal awareness of migrants, improve their living and work conditions and create a fund for socio-economic projects for migrant workers.
The meeting, dubbed "Interreg-II" is the second of the kind. The first one was held last April in Malaga (southern Spain) at the initiative of the European Regional Development Fund, the general labor union in Andalusia and the autonomous government of Andalusia with the collaboration of the Tangiers-Tetuan region.
Moroccan communication minister, Mohamed Larbi Messari, stressed at the opening of the meeting that by taking 11% of Spanish private investments abroad, Morocco has become an important partner of Spain.
Apart from the participation of Spanish "Telefonica" in the group that won Morocco's second mobile phone license, the minister said Spanish investments reached $ 47.6 million. He went on that the two countries will develop cooperation opportunities with Spain, which used to be Morocco's 12th partner, becoming Morocco's second customer.
European Union Supports Morocco's Agriculture with $ 28 Mln
Morocco, Economics, 10/4/99
The European Union's Med Committee has recently okayed the disbursement of $ 28 million for an agriculture development project in Taounate (300 km northeast of Rabat, says the European Commission's office in Rabat.
The project is part of the Moroccan moves to reduce social and economic gaps between urban and rural areas.
Extending over five years, the project seeks to improve the living standards of rural populations by increasing production. It is based on community participation and encourages farmers to set up associations for a better management of the water and agriculture facilities and improvement of production and marketing.
The project will benefit 7,400 persons with priority given to women who will receive funds for income-generating micro-projects.
Morocco hosts Cairo population conference's south-south meeting
Regional, Politics, 10/4/99
Marrakesh is hosting this October 3-4 a meeting of the executive committee of "south-south" partnership stemming from the 1994 Cairo international conference on population and development.
The committee represents an alliance of developing countries set up to carry out concepts of south-south cooperation included in the Cairo work program.
The "south-south partnership" is a non-governmental organization gathering 14 countries reputed for their efficient population related policies, programs and services. It is a forum for trading experiences in population and reproductive health programs with the aim of consolidating the link between population and social and economic development.
The meeting is looking into how to improve reproductive health services, promote and improve the prevention of sexually-transmitted diseases, the health of teenagers and reduce mothers and children mortality.
Acts of violence continue in Algeria
Algeria, Local, 10/4/99
One Algerian policeman was wounded after he was fired on by a group of armed men in Tizi Ouzou district in eastern Algeria. The Algerian daily Le Matin said on Sunday that the policeman was waiting at a bus stop when he was fired on by the gunmen.
Algerian dailies issued on Saturday said that five persons were killed last Wednesday and Thursday by gunmen in different incidents, adding that another seven persons were killed and two others wounded on Monday night at a false barrier near Medea city, 70 km south of the capital, Algiers.
The Algerian daily Libere said that three extremists broke into a mosque Barouh Manayel, 60 km east of the capital and killed its sheikh, while the Algerian daily al-Youm said that extremists stopped a car at a fake barrier in Tibseh, slaughtered its driver, and burnt his body in the car.
The sources said that a former assistant to the head of al-Shleif municipality was killed on Wednesday by a gunfire, and his head was then cut by the Armed Islamic Group.
The Sawt al-Ahrar Algerian daily said one man was killed and another wounded on Wednesday night at a false barrier built by armed men in Dramara in al-Shleif district. An old woman (65) was killed in Jejeil, 300 km east of the capital Algiers by an armed group for theft purposes.
Sawt al-Ahrar paper said four gunmen were killed on Wednesday night in Tizi Ouzou district, 100 km south of the capital, while al-Aseel daily said six gunmen were killed in Hammam Malyan, 40 km south of Algiers.
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