Maghreb Arabe Presse (Rabat)
Rabat — Morocco and Norway set up a mechanism for regular political consultations, Moroccan Foreign Minister Saad Dine El Otmani announced on Friday in Rabat.
El Otmani told the press, after talks with his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store, that the mechanism aims at providing a solid legal basis for bilateral policial consultations.
The Norwegian minister’s visit is meant to give new impetus to long-standing bilateral relations, which have been reinforced over centuries, the minister said.
El Otmani highlighted the two countries’ willingness to address outsanding bilateral issues and to develop economic and trade relations.
The meeting also examined issues of a political nature including the situation in Syria. Morocco’s position over this question is clear: the Syrian regime must stop violence against the people, he said, adding that the resolution of this crisis must be based on the Arab initiative.
Morocco, which is against any military intervention or providing the opposition with weapons, is ready to cooperate with the different parties to achieve these objectives, the minister said.
The Norwegian minister said his visit aims to give new impetus to the “good, long-standing” bilateral relations.
“We want through this visit to give political impetus to further develop economic, social, diplomatic and political ties” between the two countries, he said.
The two countries share similar positions on major issues, said Gahr Store, who praised the role played by Morocco within the Security Council and its efforts to contribute to settling the Syrian crisis.
