The leaders of Morocco and the United States state their common goals regarding peace in the Middle East and resolution to the Western Sahara dispute.
In recent letters, Moroccan King Mohammed VI and US President Barack Obama expressed their common desire to establish peace and stability in the world and to improve US-Muslim relations.
Responding to several letters in which the Moroccan monarch called on the US to support peace and to improve his country's policy towards the Middle East region, President Barack Obama sent a message to the Moroccan King on Friday (July 3rd), calling on Morocco to play a lead role in resolving the Middle East conflict, and affirming that Morocco and the US shared the same values of justice, progress and tolerance among humans.
The US President raised two topics in his message: Middle East peace and the dispute over Western Sahara.
Regarding the Middle East, Obama wrote: "In your capacity as head of the Al Quds Committee, you can contribute to making its members work in a constructive way for the aim of realising our common goals. I'm sure that we can work together to lay the foundation for fruitful negotiations for the benefit of the peoples of the region."
He added, "As I said in Cairo, if we succeed, Jerusalem could become a permanent and secure home for Jews, Christians, and Muslims; a place where all the sons of Abraham can live together in peace."
Obama expressed his hope that "Morocco, as in the past, will be a leader in the promotion of reconciliation between Israel and the Arab world."
As to the Western Sahara issue, he acknowledged its importance to the kingdom and to all the people who have suffered as a result of the conflict.
"I share your commitment to the talks under the auspices of the United Nations as the appropriate framework to reach a mutually acceptable solution, and I hope that Christopher Ross, a seasoned diplomat with wide experience in the region, will promote a constructive dialogue between the parties," the president continued.
"My government will work with yours and others in the region to achieve an outcome that meets the people's need for transparent governance, confidence in the rule of law, and equal administration of justice," he said.
King Mohammed VI addressed his own letter to the president on the occasion of US Independence Day on July 4th. The monarch expressed his nation's desire for productive co-operation with the United States, MAP reported.
Morocco, the king wrote, endeavours "to work jointly with your friendly country towards establishing peace, security, and stability in the world and to contribute to the international efforts aimed at peacefully resolving conflicts, spreading the values of freedom, justice, and human rights, and fostering meaningful, fruitful inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue to face up to extremist tendencies."
The king celebrated the "deep bonds of long-standing friendship" between the two nations, and said he welcomed Obama's "constructive ideas and positive vision with regard to relations between Islam and the West".
According to MAP, the king also commended the US president for his commitment to peace in the Middle East and his support for the Palestinian people's right to live side-by-side with Israel in security, concord and peace.
Moroccan Communications Minister and government spokesman Khalid Naciri told Magharebia, "The Moroccan government received the contents of the US president's message with relief, as it praised the efforts made by Morocco in the field of tolerance, rejection of violence, and call for peace."
Youssef Belal, a professor of international relations, told Magharebia that Obama's letter "reflects the desire of President Obama to open a dialogue with Arab and Muslim countries for the purpose of creating a new vision in America's relations with the Arab world."
Belal said the message represents an "improvement in US diplomacy towards the Palestinian issue".
Political Science Professor Fouad Zahidi said that the US president "needs an Arab state that is engaged in the Palestinian question in an objective manner, and which can serve as an effective mediator to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict".
By Naoufel Cherkaoui and Siham Ali in Rabat contributed to this report
© Magharebia.com 2009
