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| Africa North |
| Rice urges end to Western Sahara dispute |
| 2008-09-08 |
| Wrapping her multi-leg tour in North Africa, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice held talks in Morocco Sunday on issues including terrorism, where an Al-Qaeda-linked group has claimed attacks. Rice met her Moroccan counterpart Taieb Fassi-Fihri as part of the last leg of her tour of the region, which has included a landmark meeting with Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi. "It is quite clear that there are problems of terrorism and need for counter-terrorism cooperation among the partners here, among the states here, and we, the US," Rice told reporters later in the day. Western Sahara conflict Besides terrorism, Washington's top diplomat discussed the conflict involving Western Sahara, where the Polisario Front has been seeking independence. Rabat has objected to independence and has proposed autonomy for the territory on the North West African coast. Before the visit, Morocco had expressed hope Rice could help break the impasse over Western Sahara. "The US looks forward to supporting the UN effort there to find a mutually agreed agreement," Rice said. Morocco and Polisario have been engaged in UN-sponsored negotiations over the former Spanish colony's future since June last year. During a visit the previous day to Algeria, Rice had also discussed that country's cooperation in the fight against terrorism in talks with President Abedelaziz Bouteflika. She reiterated that Washington needed close counter-terror cooperation in the region, which is periodically hit by violence blamed on al Qaeda. An estimated 125 people were killed in a surge of violence in Algeria in August in attacks by al Qaeda's North Africa wing and clashes between the army and militants. Rice's route within Algeria was the subject of heightened security precautions, after a jihadist on an Islamist website urged the North African branch of Al-Qaeda to assassinate Rice during her regional tour. In July, Morocco's MAP news agency reported that 35 alleged recruiters for Al-Qaeda operations in Algeria and Iraq were arrested by police in Morocco. Upon arrival in Morocco on Saturday, Rice met Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi, Interior Minister Chakib Benmoussa and Yassine Mansouri, the head of military intelligence during a dinner. Rice, due to leave for home later on Sunday, also lauded close ties between Morocco and the United States and said: "I can think of no better way to end my trip." |
| Posted by:Fred |