King Mohammed VI Welcomes Bill Clinton to Morocco; Former US President Praises North African Nation's Tolerance, Democratization

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ (MACP) -- Former US President Bill Clinton, who was on a private visit to Morocco, was received on Sunday in the Rabat royal palace by His Majesty King Mohammed VI. The audience underscored the ties of friendship uniting the royal family and the Clinton family, and the good will and deep historical relations between Morocco and the USA.

"My family and I − my wife, her late mother, my daughter − we love this country," said Clinton at a speech on Sunday morning in Casablanca, at a conference attended by many figures.

"It was a great honor for me to work with both the late king, Hassan, and his son, King Mohammed VI," Clinton added, at the International University of Casablanca's conference on Challenges of Emerging Markets in the Global Economy. "I was excited to meet with representatives of the new government, because I like the idea that the country is becoming more democratic, more empowering." 

Clinton noted the recent initiative taken by Morocco to restore the synagogue Slat al Fassayine in the medina of Fez, saying the project reflected the openness and religious tolerance of the Kingdom. The 42^nd US President (1993-2001) said Morocco has forged a model for responsible development that is meeting the aspirations of its citizens in a peaceful manner, and providing a source of inspiration for other countries in the region.

King Mohammed VI and Clinton met for the first time on July 26, 1999 when then-President Clinton was the first US President since Dwight Eisenhower to visit Morocco. They met again on June 20, 2000 when His Majesty King Mohammed VI made his first State visit to the US, the largest State visit held during the Clinton Administration.

Morocco is America's oldest friend and ally, having been the first nation to recognize the independence of the American colonies 240 years ago, and signing the Morocco-US Treaty of Friendship and Peace in 1786, which was ratified by the US Senate in 1787 and remains the longest-standing treaty of its kind in US history. Morocco is one of the few non-NATO US allies in the Middle East and North Africa region, and last year, Morocco entered into a formal Strategic Dialogue with the US to address the changes shaping the region.  

For more on Morocco and the region, visit http://www.moroccoonthemove.com/.

Also follow us on Twitter - @MorocOnTheMove

The Moroccan American Center for Policy (MACP) is a non-profit organization whose principal mission is to inform opinion makers, government officials, and interested publics in the United States about political and social developments in Morocco and the role being played by the Kingdom of Morocco in broader strategic developments in North Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.  For more, please visit www.moroccoonthemove.com

This material is distributed by the Moroccan American Center for Policy on behalf of the Government of Morocco. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC.

SOURCE Moroccan American Center for Policy

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