Moroccan News Briefs published in The View From Fez draw on open source material, contributions from readers, as well as material from Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP), Morocco Times and official Moroccan Government press releases.
The Canary Islands is seeking $121 million to develop the "Great Neighbourhood Plan" with Morocco. The programme will promote co-operation with Morocco in various fields and contribute to reduce illegal immigration.
At the end of a meeting with Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the European Commissioner in charge of foreign relations and neighborhood policy, Martin Menis said this program will promote cooperation with Morocco in various fields and contribute to reduce illegal immigration.He also stressed that the EU should promote co-operation and humanitarian aid policies in sub-Saharan Africa and to develop the "Great Neighbourhood Plan" suggested by the European Commission in May 2004.
Cited by the Canary Islands news agency “ACN”, Martin Menis recalled that the European policy of neighborhood cannot be carried out beyond Morocco, pointing out that the European Union should promote cooperation and humanitarian aid policy to guarantee development in the sub-Saharan Africa.
On Saturday the government of Morocco denied reports that the country had taken in al-Qaida suspects for secret interrogations by the CIA.
The Moroccan weekly, Le Journal Hebdomadaire, reported that two private planes had landed at the Sale military base near the capital, Rabat, in late December and early January, carrying suspected al-Qaida members sent by the U.S. intelligence agency.
"We categorically deny this information," Interior Minister Mustapha Sahel( pictured left) said, and added that he was "indignant about this type of irresponsible information aimed at sowing trouble."He also underlined "with regret that the publication of this erroneous and partial information falls under the newspaper's line, which is characterised particularly by aggressiveness and the will to mislead."
The General Inspector of the Royal Armed Forces, General Abdelaziz Bennani also denied these “allegations".
He "regretted that certain newspapers do not check their information before publishing it.”
The private newspaper, Le Journal Hebdomadaire, was legally pursued several times for allegedly making false reports.
The latest lawsuit, which will start next Thursday in Casablanca, opposes the newspaper to the European Strategic Intelligent and Security Center (ESISC), based in Brussels.
ESISC has recently published a study on Morocco, which Le Journal Hebdomadaire described as favourable to Morocco and alleged that arrangements had taken place between the Moroccan authorities and the ESISC.
A Washington Post report in November alleged that the CIA flew terrorism suspects around the world to a network of clandestine prisons. The Council of Europe, Europe's human rights watchdog, is investigating claims that the prisoners were shipped through European airports - in breach of international and national laws.
A Swiss investigator in the case, Dick Marty, said in December that the prisoners held in Europe were hurriedly sent to North Africa - possibly to Morocco - when word of the secret program leaked out. The CIA declined to comment.
The report in Le Journal Hebdomadaire said the planes' "deliveries" to Morocco were then transferred to a detention center run by the Moroccan security agency, known by its French acronym DST, in Temara, just outside the capital.
An Amnesty International report in 2004 accused Moroccan investigators of "systematic" torture and mistreatment of inmates at the Temara detention center.
Morocco's prime minister acknowledged that there were isolated cases of prisoner abuse but promised the government would crack down on such mistreatment.
Morocco is party to the following UN human rights treaties which have corresponding treaty bodies:; the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the United Nations Committee Against Torture, the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Morocco has also signed the Rome Status of theInternational Criminal Court.
A controversial penalty converted by Didier Drogba (pictured above) gave the Ivory Coast a 1-0 win over Morocco in the second Group A game at the African Cup of Nations on Saturday. The Elephants were awarded the penalty when Walid Regragui was judged to have dragged down Drogba in the 37th minute. But television replays show that the initial contact was made outside the area. Drogba scored from the spot with a low shot into the left-hand corner that beat Tarik El-Jarmouni, who dived the right way but was unable to get his hand to the ball.
The match was played out in front of an almost empty Cairo International Stadium - a sharp contrast to the turn out for Egypt's win over Libya on Friday. Drogba's goal stung the Moroccans into seeking an equaliser but the Ivorian defence, marshalled by Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue, held firm.
The second half saw Youssef Hadji and Maroune Chamakh initiate a series of spirited attacks. But with Ivorian goalkeeper Jean-Jacques Tizie in fine form, the Moroccans grew increasingly desperate.
The crowd and the man controlling the stadium scoreboard were briefly fooled by a 20-yard strike from Youssef Hadji, which seemed to hit the back of the net - but the ball had actually hit the side netting, to the disappointment of the Moroccan fans.
Morocco are now third in Group A, with zero points and a goal against. Hosts Egypt, who sealed a 3-0 victory over Libya in the tournament's opener on Friday, are group leaders with three points, followed by Côte d'Ivoire on goal difference. The Libyans are at the bottom with no point and three goals against.
The Atlas Lions will take on the Pharaohs on Tuesday in the second match of the group stage, while the Elephants face outsiders Libya on the same day.
“The game against Egypt will be decisive,” Fakher said. “We will have to win if we are to stay on course for a ticket to the coming round. We will join efforts to come out victorious and make a better performance,” the Morocco coach concluded.
Tags: Morocco, Fès, Maghreb, news
