Morocco Participation In The 11th Meeting Of Foreign Ministers ("5+5 Dialogue" group)
Mediterranean 5+5 Dialog Countries Applaud Morocco's Contribution To Reconciliation Efforts In Mali
Foreign ministers of the 5+5 dialog (5 northern and 5 southern Mediterranean countries) applauded on Thursday Morocco's contribution to the reconciliation efforts in Mali and to the urgent need of rebuilding the country's institutions and economy.
The Mediterranean foreign ministers who wound up the 11th session of the 5+5 dialog called the international community to carry on efforts to support reforms in Mali and expressed support to the implementation of strategies meant to build a stabilized region and developed region in the Sahel as well as a comprehensive approach involving the Maghreb, European Union and Sahel countries to take on joint challenges.
Regarding Libya, they underlined the emergency of starting national dialog to guarantee public order and security and expressed readiness to cooperate with Libya to consolidate its security and its borders.
The 5+5 dialog meeting, themed "West-Mediterranean space: shared challenges, common approaches", also agreed to endeavor to set forth a coordinated and integrated strategy for regional security, in keeping with international, regional and sub-regional instruments to prevent and fight terrorism and organized crime in all its forms.
On the situation in Syria, the meeting called for an end to violence and reaffirmed the priority of a negotiated political solution that caters for a democratic transition that respects pluralism, aspirations of the Syrian people, unity and the integrity of the Arab country's territory.
Regarding the Middle East peace process, the Mediterranean foreign ministers reaffirmed that fair, comprehensive and lasting peace, geared to the establishment of two states should be reached through negotiations on all issues, including the city of Al Quds, and in the respect of the ante-1967 borders.
Foreign ministers of the 5+5 dialog further hailed the initiative launched by Morocco, on the sidelines of the UN general assembly 68th session to establish "an African alliance for migration and development" and agreed to step up economic cooperation in the Euro-Mediterranean region and to back measures to facilitate trade, investments and infrastructure development to improve the competitiveness of the region.
The 5+5 dialog initiative concerns 10 countries around the West Mediterranean sea countries, Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya on the southern rim and Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Malta on the northern rim. It aims to establish a propitious frame for dialogue and cooperation to tackle issues as security and stability, economic integration and migration.
MAP 23 May 2014
Our Conviction, Ambition Is To Ensure That Relations With Portugal Further Enriched, FM
Our conviction and our ambition is to ensure that relations with Portugal are further enriched and renewed, said Wednesday in Lisbon Foreign Minister, Salaheddine Mezouar.
"The relations binding the two countries are exceptional thanks to the friendship and serenity that have always marked bilateral relations, enriched by our shared vision for the Mediterranean and the Atlantic regions," said Mezouar during a press conference with his Portuguese counterpart, Rui Machete.
These two dimensions have helped us to think of our partnership in relation to our environment, which requires continuous and ongoing flexibility, the minister said at the press briefing which was attended by Ambassador of Morocco to Portugal, Karima Benyaich, adding that "we are in a context marked by a multiple issues related to peace and security and that are related to the problems of migration, human development, and the current economic juncture.
For his part, Rui Machete said Morocco is an excellent partner for Portugal, describing as exceptional the relations between the two country.
He said the meeting with the Moroccan top diplomat, held on the eve of the ministerial meeting of the 5+5 Dialogue forum aims to strengthen bilateral relations, and provides an opportunity to assess the work done in recent months, particularly since his visit to Morocco last January.
Mezouar, is to take part, Thursday in Lisbon, in the 11th Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the "5 +5 Dialogue" group.
MAP 22 May 2014
Morocco, Which Will Co-Chair With Portugal Dialogue 5+5, Is Committed As Active Actor To Dynamics Of This Area
Morocco which will assume the co-chairmanship of the Dialogue 5+5 as of next month along with Portugal, remains committed as an active actor in the dynamics of this dialogue, said, Thursday in Lisbon, Foreign minister Salaheddine Mezouar.
We will see to it, along with Portugal and France which will succeed it next December, to bring input by working on major broad lines and striving in order to make operational the recommendations of this meeting, said Mezouar at a press briefing with Portuguese peer Rui Machete following the 11th meeting of foreign affairs ministers of the group member states.
The Dialogue 5+5 is an extremely advantageous, open, and flexible framework, he said, noting that the easiness with which issues are addressed at the meeting will make the body move forwards and bring its contribution to solving problems.
Held under the theme "The Western Mediterranean: shared challenges and common approaches", the meeting was an occasion to discuss common regional problems shared by 10 countries.
MAP 22 May 2014