MOROCCO: US Aid

The US has increased economic and military aid to Morocco. It pledged to significantly increase its financial aid to key Muslim ally Morocco to help the North African country's economic and political reforms and its fight against terror. Washington will more than quadruple its non-military assistance and double its military aid to Morocco from 2004, Assistant Secretary of State William Burns said.

The US aims to provide approximately $40 million more in assistance from 2004, he said. Morocco's long reputation as a stable, tolerant kingdom was shaken in May when 12 suicide bombers hit targets in Casablanca and killed 33 people. Military assistance will reach $20 million from 2004, said Burns, who is in charge of Near Eastern affairs.

Morocco, a traditional US ally, was among the first Arab countries to condemn the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington. It has provided US investigators with valuable help in their hunt for international terror networks.

Burns said he also discussed with King Mohammed the long-standing Western Sahara territorial dispute. The issue hit a new impasse when Morocco, which seized the territory in 1975 after its independence from Spain, rejected an ultimatum to accept a recent UN peace plan. "The US continues to support UN efforts... for a solution to the issue and we urge parties to engage with them (UN officials) positively," Burns said, repeating a stance he offered in neighboring Algeria. Morocco has hinted it would seek a solution with Algeria, a key ally of the Polisario Front that seeks independence for the vast mineral-rich territory (Reuters, 10/27/03).