HM the King holds talks with French president

PERSISMA, Casablanca – HM King Mohammed VI, accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan and HRH Prince Moulay Rachid, held, Wednesday at the royal palace in Casablanca, talks with visiting French president, François Hollande, the Royal Cabinet said in a statement.

The talks were attended, on the French side, by foreign minister Laurent Fabius, diplomatic advisor to the president of the republic, Paul Jean-Ortiz, General Benoit Puga, special chief of staff of the president of the republic, and Charles Fries, ambassador of France to Morocco. On the Moroccan side, the talks were attended by foreign minister Saad Dine El Otmani.

The two heads of state welcomed the special partnership between Morocco and France, an exemplary partnership that is marked by mutual trust, is opportunity-creating and enabling effective solidarity.

The Sovereign and the French President deemed that the official visit of François Hollande to the Kingdom is a valuable opportunity to deepen and renew these distinguished relations in the political, socio-economic, cultural and human areas, the statement said.

In this respect, the French President praised the momentum of achievements and reforms in Morocco, under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, setting the exercise of democracy and human development as priorities.

The statement added that it was agreed, during the talks, to give special attention, in relations between the two countries, to the knowledge society, education and training in promising professions that provide fixed jobs.

Interest in industrial co-production, renewable energy, new technologies and the modernization of agriculture, fisheries and infrastructure stem from the same approach and target the same goal of shared growth, the statement said.

The statement pointed out that the two heads of state also highlighted the importance of the cultural events to be held in autumn 2014 in France, which bear witness to Moroccan artistic richness and cultural diversity and its openness to universal values.

President François Hollande reaffirmed France’s constant position over the Sahara issue, the statement said.

He also praised the constructive role of Morocco for the emergence of a Euro-Mediterranean area of peace, stability and shared prosperity.

The French president also called for strengthening the multifold partnership between Morocco and the European Union under the “advanced status”.

The Sovereign reiterated to President Hollande Morocco’s sincere commitment to the operationalization of the Maghreb Union. The two heads of state agreed in this regard that the Maghreb integration will open up promising prospects for enhanced cooperation not only in the western Mediterranean (5+5), but also within the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), the statement pointed out.

The Sovereign and the French President also discussed major international and regional affairs of common interest.

They agreed on the need to support the political process in Mali. Stressing the need to pursue security and stability operation in the northern regions of the country, the two sides agreed on the importance of encouraging an open and frank dialogue between all components of Malian society, as well as the need to hold elections as soon as possible.

HM the King and President François Hollande reiterated their commitment to a comprehensive and coordinated global response on the part of the international community to the global threat in the Sahel-Sahara region. In this connection, Mr. Hollande thanked HM the King for Morocco’s support to the noble efforts of France and other countries in the region for the stabilization of Mali and the protection of its citizens.

The two heads of state expressed their deep concern about the continuing deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Syria. While reiterating the urgency of rapid political transition, they called for coordination of actions on the ground and the unification of the opposition forces’ positions.

Finally, HM the King, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, reasserted the need to support the promising, vital Palestinian reconciliation process and to enforce a new formula for effective revival of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations to definitively resolve the conflict and make it possible to establish a viable Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living together in peace and security, in accordance with the UN frame of reference and international law, the statement concluded.

On this occasion, the Sovereign decorated the French President, François Hollande, with the Wissam Al Mohammadi (special class).

Source: MAP