HIBAPRESS – W.A.M
Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, confirmed on Monday that the convening of the sixth session of the Moroccan-Bahraini Joint High Committee in the city of Laayoune "carries a strong symbolic meaning."
Bourita explained, in a joint press conference with his Bahraini counterpart, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, that this is the first joint committee that Morocco holds with an Arab country in its southern provinces, highlighting that this fact "confirms the depth of the fraternal relations between the two countries, and their firm solidarity thanks to the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa." He stressed that the Moroccan-Bahraini Joint Committee, which was established 25 years ago, has in recent years entered into a kind of regularity, as it now meets every two or two and a half years. He stressed that Moroccan-Bahraini relations are based on a very solid foundation, which is the relationship between the leaders of the two countries and the two peoples, as well as possessing a clear vision built on the short, medium and long term. The Minister highlighted, in this context, that the relationship between the two countries is based on absolute solidarity, noting that Bahrain's positions on the Moroccan Sahara issue, "are among the very steadfast and pioneering positions." He mentioned that the Bahraini monarch was the one who informed King Mohammed VI of his country's intention to open a consulate in the Moroccan Sahara. Similarly, Bourita added that King Mohammed VI was always keen to provide all support and absolute solidarity with Bahrain in all its fateful issues, saying that "everything that affects Bahrain affects the Kingdom of Morocco, and this has always been a constant position of the Kingdom of Morocco and His Majesty the King." On the other hand, Bourita noted that the positions of Morocco and Bahrain "are similar and identical, especially regarding the Palestinian issue, to which the two countries have always had principled positions, away from bidding and exaggeration," stressing that they are influential and practical positions that contribute to the two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital on the 1967 borders, and "also positions that always move towards how to serve the Palestinian cause in a practical and daily manner in light of the constraints, but also in light of the available opportunities." Bourita said that "Bahrain is one of the countries with which Morocco consults continuously on all issues," citing as an example that the two countries worked together to have four years in the United Nations Security Council, two years for Bahrain and the same for Morocco, noting that the Kingdom of Morocco does not see it as "two years plus two years, but as four consecutive years." In the same context, he confirmed that "the initiatives that the Kingdom of Bahrain will launch during its membership in the Security Council will be developed and enhanced by Morocco after it enters the Council, as well as with regard to what Morocco plans to do during its occupation of the Security Council seat." In the bilateral aspect, the Minister noted that what is essential today is the development of trade relations, which have not yet reached the level of political relations and the ambition of the leaders of the two countries, stressing that the role of the governments of the two countries is to prepare the framework and encourage the private sector in the two countries to engage in this positive dynamic of bilateral relations.
