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Al-Ahram Weekly 25 - 31 May 2000 Issue No. 483 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 25 - 31 May 2000 Issue No. 483
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Focus Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Ties across North Africa
By Nevine KhalilKing Mohamed VI of Morocco arrived in Cairo on Monday for a three-day visit to boost bilateral ties and hold political talks with Egyptian officials. President Hosni Mubarak and King Mohamed held a series of meetings in which the two leaders discussed Arab issues, including regional peacemaking and ways of reviving Arab solidarity, as well as stability in Africa, Euro-African cooperation and bilateral relations.
The monarch, who ascended the throne following the death of his father, King Hassan, in July, visited Cairo last month to attend an Afro-European summit. He is the chairman of the Jerusalem Committee, a body affiliated to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and concerned with the status of the Holy City.
Before meeting with Mohamed on Tuesday, Mubarak received Israeli Public Security Minister Shlomo Ben Ami who was chief negotiator at the backdoor Palestinian-Israeli talks in Stockholm. Ben Ami briefed Mubarak on the current state of the suspended negotiations.
The Israeli envoy said that Egypt had a "natural role" in the peace process and that Mubarak "will have a moderating influence on the parties."
Before the meeting with Mubarak began, Ben Ami said that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak "saw the need to inform Mubarak and the Egyptian government about this moment in the peace process." Barak had recalled Ben Ami and his team from Stockholm on Sunday in protest against the continuation of Palestinian demonstrations, and clashes with Israelis, in the West Bank and Gaza. Although differences remain "very, very substantial," the Palestinian-Israeli talks will resume within days, Ben Ami told reporters after meeting with Mubarak.
He continued that both sides are working on these differences and predicted a possible summit between Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in the United States next month.
Prime Minister Atef Ebeid said that King Mohamed's visit, his talks with Mubarak and co-chairing of the joint committee represent "an important development" at this stage of the peace process, since both affirmed the importance of honouring the land-for-peace formula. Drawing up an Arab agenda and the possibility of organising an Arab summit soon to close ranks at a time when the Middle East is quickly being re-shaped also made up part of the talks between Mubarak and Mohamed.
President Hosni Mubarak during talks with King Mohamed VI of Morocco
photo: Abdel-Sattar Youssef
More importantly, however, Cairo and Rabat focused on bilateral, especially economic, relations during the visit of the monarch, who was accompanied by a large delegation of officials and some 100 business people.
On Tuesday, Mubarak and Mohamed co-chaired the fourth round of a Supreme Joint Committee to evaluate progress in boosting trade exchange and joint investments. The committee also reviewed the performance of the private sector in both countries. The two countries aim to boost their annual trade turnover to more than $100 million, from the current figure of $35.5 million per year. In 1998, Cairo and Rabat signed a free trade agreement, and they hope to remove all custom barriers by the next decade.
Ebeid said that Cairo wants to see economic ties with Rabat reach the "excellent" standing of political relations. This is being achieved through the work of the joint committee, which concluded with the signing of six bilateral documents on Tuesday. Mubarak and Mohamed witnessed the signing of cooperation agreements in the fields of housing, environment, industry, management, road building and seaports.
A protocol was also signed on Monday creating an Egyptian-Moroccan Society for Investment and Development. Businessmen on both sides agreed to join hands in two new projects, one a clothes factory in Casablanca and the other a sardine-canning factory in Port Said.
