The United States plans to more than quadruple its non-military assistance and to double its military assistance to Morocco in 2004 to $20 million, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs William Burns said in Rabat, Morocco, on October 28, 2003.
"I would like to announce our intention to more than quadruple our non-military assistance to Morocco. Starting next year, we will seek to provide approximately $40 million in assistance, a number we will look favorably to augmenting in the years ahead," Burns said. He said the money would go to support Morocco's economic, social, educational, and political reforms, reported Washington File.
With regard to the negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FAT) between the United States and Morocco, Burns said the negotiators are making significant progress and are on track to complete the negotiations by the end of 2003. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
