Morocco, “a key partner” of France to ensure security and the fight against terrorism

Morocco is “a key partner” of France to ensure security and the fight against terrorism, said Saturday in Rabat, the French interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve.

“Morocco is a key partner to ensure security and fight against terrorism. It is first of all true in the field of intelligence, a field in which expertise is invaluable and Morocco where the Moroccan services managed to demonstrate any efficacy dismantling recent months several cells and terrorist networks, “said Mr. Cazeneuve during a joint press conference with the Minister of the Interior, Mohamed Assad, after maintenance.

The French minister welcomed on this occasion the professionalism of Moroccan intelligence services and instead as a partner of France in the security sphere. Mr. Caseneuve is, in this sense, welcomed the efforts of the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance.

“I want to welcome in this regard the efforts of the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance primarily by its CEO, Mr. Abdellatif Hammouchi,” said the French minister, adding that the role of this direction is “decisive in our fight against terrorism.

” France had already had the opportunity to distinguish M. Hammouchi in 2011 by awarding him the title of Knight of the Legion of Honour. It will soon show his esteem by giving him this time the officer insignia of the Legion of Honor, “he argued.

“This cooperation with Morocco in the security sphere, we want to continue to deepen,” said the French minister who said he agreed with his Moroccan counterpart to do more in the areas of the fight against irregular migration, crime organized and drug trafficking.

It was also decided to strengthen the operational field between services of both departments, cross visits between employees for deepening relations. The fight against radicalization is another area of cooperation to encourage with Morocco, according to the French Minister, especially, he said, that the Kingdom “point of reference is opened through the efforts made to promote Islam and tolerant, hopeful, with Moroccans abroad but also in its regional environment.

” He cites foreign imams of training programs conducted by the Moroccan authorities. “We on this ground many things to do together,” he said. The Minister took the opportunity to reaffirm “forcefully the most severe sentence” anti-Muslim acts that followed the recent attacks in France.

“Those who are attacking Muslims because of their religious beliefs, are attacking the Republic as a whole. This is unacceptable,” he insisted. “We have much to do with Morocco to fight against any form of amalgam and remind loudly that the barbaric acts committed in France have nothing to do with Islam and can also lay claim to any religion or culture, “he said before stressing that” the face of the common threat, the restoration of our full cooperation was a requirement and a shared desire.

it shows that in difficult times, the friendship between Morocco and France is stronger than everything. ” He added that “this common determination to fight against terrorism and to promote a message of tolerance must be based on mutual trust,” stressing that the agreement of 31 January creates the conditions for effective judicial cooperation between the two countries.

He recalled in this connection that King Mohammed VI and French President Francois Hollande have responded well, during their meeting in Paris on Monday, “how Morocco and France are determined together against terrorism and cooperate in the field of security, “noting that” this common determination is more important than ever as our two countries face a serious terrorist threat which France has recently paid the price.

” For the French minister, this ability “truly remarkable” that overcomes the difficulties hand in hand, shows “the political will exists high level of both sides to maintain an exceptional partnership between our two countries “.

“France has always been a friend of Morocco and it is today more than it has ever been,” said Mr. Cazeneuve who wanted to convey his warmest thanks to the authorities and Moroccan people, and primarily to HM the King for solidarity messages to the aftermath of the attacks in France. ”

These messages show how Morocco and France are united in safeguarding freedom of posts, openness and peace. They remind us that we have an important role to play together against terrorism and intolerance on both sides Mediterranean, “said Mr Cazeneuve.