Updated
Clinton Morocco trip set for Dec.11-13; Meets with King and ‘Friends of Syria’ in Marrakech
HM King Mohammed VI and Sec.Clinton will meet Dec. 11 to discuss Morocco-US Strategic Partnership, Mali, Middle East peace process, & ‘Friends of Syria’ meeting in Marrakech, which Clinton joins Dec. 12.
US State Department, MAP, MACP (Washington, DC, Dec. 5, 2012) — US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s schedule is set to visit Morocco Dec. 11-13, during which she will meet with HM King Mohammed VI, said a statement by the U.S. Department of State Wednesday.
On her visit, the Sec. Clinton will take part in the meeting of the Friends of the Syrian People in Marrakech, the same source said. Clinton will also meet with senior Moroccan government officials to discuss bilateral and regional issue.
According to the statement, the Friends of Syria meeting in Marrakech “provides an opportunity to consult with like-minded governments in the region and around the world on how best to continue support for the Syrian opposition and on efforts to end the bloodshed.”
Secretary Clinton’s visit to Morocco was at the heart of discussions by Moroccan Delegate Foreign Minister, Youssef Amrani, at the State Department earlier this week.
Amrani also held talks with Near Eastern Affairs Assistant Secretary, Beth Jones on the different aspects of the US-Morocco Strategic Dialogue and the need to optimize synergies and reinforce the mechanisms of the strategic partnership between the two nations, in line with their shared challenges and objectives.
Discussions revolved mainly on reinforcing consultations and cooperation between Morocco and the US, and on regional and international issues of common interest, Amrani told MAP, adding that the two sides agreed to work closely within the framework of Morocco’s rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, particularly on the situation in the African Sahel, the crisis in Mali, the Syrian issue and the peace process.
Amrani affirmed at the meeting that Morocco, which chairs the UNSC in December, will continue its efforts on the international scene through an active role at the regional level in order to promote peace and shared prosperity in respect of the principles of national sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries.
As the Council’s meeting draws nearer, Morocco will push for a full support of the international community to the efforts of the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) and the CenSad (Community of Sahel-Saharan States). The North African country had taken part in the ECOWAS Abuja meeting, and will attend the CenSad next meeting, Amrani recalled, adding that Morocco will spare no efforts to contribute to this international inter-regional coordination.
After her visit to Morocco, Secretary Clinton will travel to Tunisia to co-host the 9th Forum for the Future with the Government of Tunisia on December 13. She will conclude her trip in Abu Dhabi, the UAE to participate in the 3rd ministerial meeting of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) on December 14, the statement noted.