Turkey requests to extend the negotiation of the discount in the trade agreement with Morocco

After the strict conditions that Morocco set against Turkey in order to keep the free trade agreement between them, the Turkish side asked the Moroccan government to extend the negotiation period, which ended today, Thursday.

Hafeez Al-Alami, Minister of Industry, Trade and Green and Digital Economy revealed today, Thursday, during the work of the Government Council, that the Turkish side requested that it be given an additional deadline until next week to respond to the demands of Morocco.

El Hassan Abiaba, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, the government's spokesman, said in the press conference that followed the work of the government council that Morocco has the right to review the trade agreement with the Turkish side in accordance with what is included in international laws.

In his answer to the press’s questions, “The Government’s Lips” stated that “all countries review international agreements on the basis of mutual benefits for the exchange of goods and services.”

On January 1st, it was agreed between Morocco and Turkey to "review the terms of the current free trade agreement in order to achieve more balanced trade." It was also agreed at the time that the two countries would start immediately to work on the points of contention regarding the free exchange agreement, and to assess the progress recorded around it until January 30.

Hafeez Al-Alami, Minister of Industry, Trade and Green and Digital Economy, had a meeting with a Turkish delegation headed by Rohsar Bekjan, Turkish Minister of Trade, to discuss solutions to overcome the damage of the free trade agreement.

The parties agreed, according to the joint statement, to reduce the losses caused by Turkish trade to the Moroccan economy, by "raising bilateral trade between the two countries to a more balanced level, and encouraging Turkish investors to invest in Morocco in the productive industry, and encouraging Moroccan exports to Turkey."

Minister Hafeez Al-Alami previously confirmed that Morocco cannot continue the free trade agreement with Turkey in the current form, and said: "I clearly told them to either find solutions to review this agreement, or tear it apart."

Al-Alami stressed in his statement that "the most important thing is that the current agreement in which Morocco registers a deficit of about two billion dollars (equivalent to 19 billion dirhams), and considered it" impossible to not address it. "

Is Algeria seeking to limit the Moroccan role in solving the Libyan crisis?

A "slow" return, but full of agendas, Algeria has embarked on its fingerprint for the past weeks. The eastern neighbor of the Kingdom reveals its insistence on being present in various regional files that do not enjoy the regular international consensus and require consensus between the conflicting forces.

Noteworthy was this gradual return to the "stronghold" of regional tensions, especially in the Libyan file and the Algerian side's insistence to attend and participate in the "Berlin" conference, and after that it embraced a conference that attracted the foreign ministers of neighboring countries and a number of influencers in this file, which indicates Algeria's desire In playing advanced roles in peace and security files.

In addition to its potential influence on the Libyan file, Algeria is trying to diversify its regional partnerships by opening up to Turkey, one of the most important key players in the "Libyan issue", as well as its betting on relations with France to enhance its presence in security files and fighting terrorism in the African Sahel region.

To explain this "return" and how Algeria has become a major center for international decision-making, political analyst Elias Moussaoui stems from "the changes that occurred after the Gulf crisis. The positions expressed by Morocco regarding this crisis did not satisfy its traditional allies in the Gulf who did not hide their anger from it in Several occasions. "

Moussaoui, an analyst and expert in international relations, said that "excluding Morocco from the aforementioned conference despite its embrace of the Skhirat agreement, he sent him several important messages, the most important of which is that there are parties that do not want Morocco to be among the constellation that will accompany the Libyan file, and many sources confirmed that Haftar was A major reason for Morocco's absence from the Berlin Summit. "

Moussaoui explained that "the Moroccan expulsion from the Berlin conference transformed it into neighboring Algeria into a diplomatic victory for it, and the conference that was organized last week under the banner of neighboring countries, Libya, is only an attempt by them to confirm the curtailment of the Kingdom's role in this sensitive file, after yesterday it was a kiss that everyone urges to discuss About solutions to the Libyan crisis. "

The same expert stated that "the intense Algerian diplomatic movement plays on two ropes. The first is represented by Algeria exploiting the tense relationship between Morocco and its allies to present itself as the appropriate partner and the optimal alternative for the Kingdom of these countries in North Africa, and the second is centered around narrowing the screws on Rabat and limiting its role as a player. My country is important in Africa and the West Bank. "

Royal Air Force acquires anti-missile and "Drone" radars

Morocco possesses a group of American "F-16" aircraft, which represent the pillar of the Royal Air Force, due to its qualitative addition to the offensive and defensive style of the military system. With updates to the F-16 Fighting Falcon, Morocco will become an air force in the region, by providing "jet" equipment against any potential attack.

The US "Fighting Falcon" is one of the most heavily armed jet service aircraft. America is heading towards modifications of the F-16 aircraft by providing advanced radars called "Saber", which are radars that enjoy a high level of accuracy and resistance to interference and concealment against opponent radars.

The theoretical range of the Saber radars is 230 miles and can also conduct large-scale surface surveys. The U.S. Air Force has requested at least 372 more APG-83 aircraft for $ 1 billion ($ 2.7 million each) to update additional F-16 squadrons.

The new radars will also be installed on F-16s in Bahrain, Greece, Indonesia, Korea, Morocco and Singapore, and have been proposed for B-1, B-52 and FA-18C / D Hornet launchers. By comparison, "cruise missiles" that land with low ground flying are slower than ballistic missiles.

The SABR radar also greatly improves the effectiveness of the F-16 as it moves, and in particular it improves its capabilities against cruise missiles and drones.

With a budget of 160 million dirhams, Lockheed Martin Military Industries has previously upgraded the F16 military fighters and supplied them with modern military equipment for use in combat operations. It was brought to Morocco after the end of the maintenance and modernization phase of one of the American military bases, according to the website "Defensa".

Morocco has previously acquired 400 “M220A2” anti-armor missile launchers, “TOW” bombers, more than 2,400 “TOW2A” radio frequency missiles, in addition to 28 “TOW2A” radio frequency missiles, and 400 “ITAS” enhanced targeting system missile launchers ".

Morocco also aspires to acquire the Patriot missile system, which represents a surface-to-medium missile defense system, designed to counter all air threats, whether by fighter or drones, ballistic missiles, or even "raft" missiles.

The Moroccan army lacks any long-range air defense system, unlike neighboring Algeria, which in recent years has acquired a very sophisticated Russian and Chinese missile system, which makes this deal the first of its kind.

Morocco is surprised to be excluded from the Berlin meeting

Morocco has criticized the German government against the background of the Berlin Conference on Libya. The Moroccan Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing "deep surprise" that no invitation was extended to Rabat to participate in the conference. On the other hand, Tunisia apologized for not attending.

Today, Saturday (18 January 2020), the Moroccan Foreign Ministry expressed its "deep surprise" for its "exclusion from the Berlin conference" on Libya scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday in the German capital. The Moroccan Foreign Ministry said in an official statement today: "Morocco has always been at the forefront of international efforts aimed at settling the Libyan crisis."

In a clear criticism of the German government, the statement stated that the Moroccan government "does not understand the criteria or the motives that dictated the choice of countries participating in this meeting." The statement pointed to the decisive role played by Morocco in concluding the Skhirat Agreement, which so far constitutes the only political framework, which has the support of the United Nations Security Council and the acceptance of all Libyan parties, to settle the crisis in this country in North Africa.

On the other hand, Tunisia has apologized for not taking part in the Berlin Conference on Libya due to the late arrival of the invitation. "In view of the late receipt of the invitation and the failure of Tunisia to participate in the preparatory course for the conference ... and considering its steadfast keenness that its effective role as a suggestion force should be alongside all other countries seeking peace and security within the framework of international legitimacy, it is impossible for them," the Tunisian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Participate in this conference. "

Tunisia, which was preparing for a possible influx of migrants from Libya in the event of the aggravation of the crisis, was announced Thursday by its ambassador in Berlin and in an interview with the DW expressed "great surprise" for not being invited to participate in the conference. Tunisia shares a border of more than 450 km with Libya and has a non-permanent seat on the Security Council.

The Tunisian Foreign Ministry statement said on Saturday that the country "may have to take all appropriate exceptional border measures to secure its borders and protect its national security in the face of any possible escalation of the crisis in Libya."

It is noteworthy that Tunisia had already received hundreds of thousands of immigrants from different nationalities from Libya in the year 2011 following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's regime. Today, the Tunisian authorities fear a similar situation might arise following the escalation of the situation in Libya.

The United Nations warns the Polisario

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, has called on Morocco and the Polisario to "commit to restraint and to defuse any tensions."

This call comes through a statement by the spokesman for the Secretary-General, "Stephen Dugrik," after a group of activists loyal to the separatist Polisario Front closed the road to the Karakar border crossing yesterday.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations warned the Polisario Front against blocking any traffic at the Karakarat crossing, after threats and provocations aimed at obstructing the course of the "Africa Eco" Rally link between Morocco and Mauritania.

He also demanded that regular civil and commercial movement be allowed to pass at Karakat, as well as his call to refrain from any action that might constitute a change in the status quo in the buffer zone.

It is worth noting that it is not the first time that the United Nations warns of the escalation of tensions in Karakat against the increase in the destabilizing actions committed by the Polisario, which would threaten the United Nations-sponsored political process regarding the Moroccan Sahara file.

From this standpoint, observers say that the Polisario Front is no longer filled with international warnings and its purpose is to impose a new geographical and demographic reality in the east of the security fence, especially in the Tifariti area and Bir El Helou.

It should be noted that the "Africa Eco Race" Rally connects Monaco to Dakar passing through Morocco, including the southern provinces.

The official start of the rally was given with the participation of 688 contestants, last Tuesday, from the port of Tangier. In a provocative development, a number of people affiliated with the separatist Polisario Front gathered on Saturday at the Karakarat crossing, where they constructed two tents and set up barricades, while the front media outlets called on the separatists inside to join the crossing.

According to the "Fourtman Forum", a car belonging to the United Nations Mission "MINURSO" has arrived to find out the reality of the situation and take the necessary measures.

In this context, the front is trying, according to the "Forum Forsatin", to avoid the internal embarrassment exercised by its followers, and pointed out that in front of its inability to be in the place because of the ban it received by the United Nations, it is trying to use the follower card and direct them to protest and close the crossing.

On the other hand, viewers of the Western Sahara file see that it is not the first time that such acts have occurred.

The same observers conclude that the front "seeks to use any occasion in order to show itself as not in a state of clinical death."

In light of the expansion of the recognition of Moroccan Sahara with the opening of African consulates in the city of El-Ayoun recently, the separatist Polisario Front pursues a policy of provocation and escalation, which would complicate the conflict in the region.

You know who the Amazigh are

The Amazighs celebrate the end of the new year 2970 according to the Amazigh calendar, which falls on January 13 of each year, and it is called "Al-Nayyer".

The celebration takes place in a joyful atmosphere, which gives local ritual activities a distinctive character.

But who are the Berbers?

Berbers or Berbers are non-Semitic peoples. They are a different ethnic and cultural group than Arabs living in the north of the African continent.

It can be said that they are the indigenous people of this region, dating back to at least the era of the Roman Empire. They have remained there since, while still maintaining their independent cultural and linguistic identity.

Most Berbers are Muslims and speak Berber with all their local dialects.

The Berbers are spread in the north of the African continent, from Morocco in the west to Egypt in the east, and from the Mediterranean in the north to the Niger River in the south.

They spread in Morocco (north of the country, the countryside, the atlas mountains), Algeria (the tribal region, the east, and the north of the Sahara), Tunisia (Djerba, Tataouine, and East Gafsa), Libya (Mount Nafusa and Zwara), Egypt (Siwa Oasis), Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mauritania, which The Tuareg tribes travel through its borders.

Their number in the countries of the region is not clear because there is no clear definition of what is meant by the word Amazigh. There are many people who are considered Arabs even though they are of Berber origin because they do not speak Tamazight. Most of them are concentrated in Morocco and Algeria.

In addition to North Africa, millions of Berbers live in Europe.

They are also called barbarians and there are several theories related to this word, one of which says that the word is derived from the word Barbados and means strangers in Greek. The Berbers also call Morocco Tamazigh or the land of the Berbers.

The Tamazight language belongs to the Afro-Asiatic family and is related to the ancient Egyptian and Ethiopian languages.

There are different dialects with many profound differences in pronunciation, but they have similar rules and vocabulary.

The origin of the Berbers is historically missing, as there are experts who say that they came from ancient Yemen and traveled to Africa by sea. Another view is that they may have come from Europe or the ancient Mediterranean regions.

The only certainty is that the Berbers are in the north of the African continent before any other people mentioned in history books. Over hundreds of years, the Berbers resisted the complete Arabization of their language and culture.

Nice pictures from the capital of Morocco

The pictures are beautiful from the capital of Morocco, Rabat. The pPictures include the Al-Wadia Reed, the alleyways of the old city, and the facade of a mosque

the alleyways of the old city

the alleyways of the old city

Al-Wadia Reed

Al-Wadia Reed

Al-Wadia Reed

Al-Wadia Reed

Al-Wadia Reed

the alleyways of the old city

Al-Wadia Reed

Al-Wadia Reed

Al-Wadia Reed

the alleyways of the old city

Al-Wadia Reed

the alleyways of the old city

the alleyways of the old city

facade of a mosque

facade of a mosque

NICE PICTURES FROM MOROCCO

Morocco boosts air defenses with missiles

New American missiles will enhance the capabilities of the Moroccan Army in the face of the dangers surroundin

 

Raytheon Disk, Arizona, obtained a non-competitive contract of $768 million for advanced-range missiles to the Kingdom.

These missiles will be manufactured at the Tucson workshop in Arizona State.

The highly flexible, self-directed Amram missile can be carried and used by Moroccan warplanes and is capable of resistance to noise, giving it the ability to switch from active rocket guidance to jamming signals from the target aircraft.

"The program on board the missile allows it to detect whether it is jammed and directs the missile to its target using the appropriate guidance system," he said.

Morocco had previously obtained 400 "M220A2" anti-armor missile launchers, more than 2,400 TOE2A, 28 TOE2A, and 400 "Enhanced Target System" Missile Launchers ITAS"

Morocco also aspires to acquire the Patriot missile system, which is a medium-range surface-to-surface missile defense system, designed to counter all air threats, whether by fighter planes, drones, ballistic missiles or even "Toff" missiles.

.

The Moroccan army lacks any long-term air defense system, unlike neighboring Algeria, which has developed a highly sophisticated Russian and Chinese missile system in recent years, making this deal the first of its kind.

"The Algerian possession of Russian and Chinese missiles is a clear threat to Morocco's stability, which prompted it to urgently seek an air defense system to enhance its air capabilities," a source said.

 

CONCLUSION 

It is clear that Morocco and Algeria have entered the arms race phase and this is draining the budget of the two countries and benefiting from the situation of states supplying arms to these countries

 

Israel wants to develop trade relations with Morocco

Despite the Kingdom of Morocco's position on the issue of normalization with Israel, Tel Aviv is betting on the year 2020 to strengthen its trade relations with Morocco.

For some time, the Israeli media has been promoting widely the pursuit of the Zionist entity to normalize relations with Morocco and other Arab countries, which are news that is silently matched by Rabat or denied in some periods.

Hebrew newspapers had reported that Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, was hoping to accompany Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State, on his recent visit to Rabat, but King Mohammed VI objected to this idea strongly. She also spoke of Moroccan officials refusing to discuss a US proposal on normalization.

"Israel Valley", a website specialized in French-Israeli commercial relations, published an analytical article regarding his forecast for the year 2020, in which Dan Katarifas, an official in the Tel Aviv Businessmen Network, said that "the relations between Morocco and Israel have been kept secret, and it is impossible to know the numbers." The real data regarding trade exchanges between the two countries.

The media source indicated that Morocco is located in the fifth rank among Israel's African clients, explaining that the kingdom comes after Egypt, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Uganda and Ghana in economic relations with Israel.

According to the website specialized in economics, the volume of trade exchange between Morocco and Israel amounted to more than four million dollars per month, according to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, and he noted a slight improvement in trade relations between the two countries.

The same data indicated that Moroccan exports to Israel amounted to $ 30 million in 2018, revealing that imports of products from Israel to Morocco are increasing. The same source continued that "many Moroccan and Israeli companies use very complex commercial channels, which makes it difficult to trace their identity or source."

These transactions between the two countries are not hidden to officials, according to the summaries of the same source, who confirmed that reporting on commercial deals, financial transactions and cooperation programs with government agencies and the private sector is done regularly between the two countries. The data also mentioned the existence of transactions and correspondence between the Israeli banks and their Moroccan counterparts.

The Moroccan government asserts that Morocco has a position on dealing with Israel. Its spokesperson, Hassan Abiaba, confirmed that "there are no commercial relations with Israel."

The Moroccan official added in a previous statement, saying: "This is an official position, and we confirm the absence of any commercial relationship with Israel, and currently Moroccan-Israeli relations are officially cut off at all levels."

Les femmes des combattants de l'Etat islamique espèrent retourner au Maroc

Des dizaines de femmes marocaines et leurs enfants liés à l'organisation terroriste "ISIS" espèrent rentrer au Maroc, car ils "ne représentent aucun danger", comme l'ont affirmé les autorités du royaume, tandis que le voyage de "retour" au sein du pays commence à partir du portail de la Turquie, qui détient plus de 337 djihadistes hommes et femmes à la sécurité Turc.

 

Il semble que les autorités turques coordonnent avec leurs homologues marocains les expulsions qui ont lieu de temps à autre pour un certain nombre d '"EI" marocains, d'autant plus que parmi eux se trouvent des enfants et des femmes, ce qui indique que "la porte du rapatriement est devenue ouverte à des dizaines de femmes marocaines, notamment depuis" l'EI Il vit ses derniers jours après le meurtre de son chef, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.

Et les autorités marocaines confirment que "280 femmes marocaines et 391 enfants sont dans les points chauds du Moyen-Orient", ajoutant "qu'il y a des efforts du Maroc pour intervenir". Alors que la Turquie a indiqué qu'elle maintenait un certain nombre de femmes marocaines "EI" qui ont fui les fléaux de la détention et des familles dans les zones de conflit.

Des dizaines de femmes détenues dans les centres de détention des Forces démocratiques syriennes, qui sont souvent les épouses des dirigeants et des combattants de l'organisation << ISIS >> en Syrie et en Iraq, demandent à assurer leur retour au Maroc par crainte de l'oppression des organisations extrémistes, conformément aux exigences du droit international humanitaire.

Des pays refusent de renvoyer leurs citoyens, comme la France, qui a annoncé qu'elle rendrait probablement des enfants orphelins de djihadistes français. Mi-mars, la France a récupéré, pour la première fois, cinq orphelins de Syrie. Face à cette situation, les Kurdes appellent à la création d'un tribunal international spécial pour juger les détenus en Syrie.

La tension règne sur les relations maroco-espagnoles

Coïncidant avec l'intention du Maroc de délimiter ses frontières dans les eaux territoriales au large des provinces du sud, par le biais de deux projets de loi qui seront bientôt présentés pour approbation lors d'une session législative générale à la Chambre des représentants, l'armée de l'air espagnole a déployé des avions "F-18" au large des îles Canaries.

Les limites précises du moment ne sont pas connues pourquoi les avions de guerre espagnols ont été déployés à cette époque au-dessus de la mer dans les îles Canaries, mais il y a ceux qui ont lié cela à la décision prise par le Parlement marocain avec sa tentative de dessiner les frontières de l'eau de la Reine, une étape dont l'Espagne se méfie et rejetée par ses partis politiques.

"Parallèlement au vote marocain sur une loi qui pourrait menacer la souveraineté espagnole dans les eaux des îles Canaries, l'armée de l'air espagnole a publié une vidéo montrant un chasseur F-18 survolant la côte de ces îles", ont indiqué des sources espagnoles.

Le Maroc cherche à tracer les limites de l'eau qu'il considère comme la sienne, dans deux projets qui pourraient entrer en conflit avec la souveraineté des pays voisins, notamment la Mauritanie et l'Espagne, à l'égard des îles Canaries.
Les deux lois n'ont pas encore été approuvées, mais elles ont mis en colère le président des îles Canaries, le socialiste Victor Torres, qui affirme que "l'exécutif régional et le gouvernement espagnol feront face à toute violation de la souveraineté espagnole".

Selon les données espagnoles, les avions de combat ont été lancés à partir de la base "Gando" des îles Canaries. Victor Torres a déclaré que l'Espagne ne serait pas tolérée si le Maroc touchait "à un mile des eaux de la mer des Canaries".

Et les médias espagnols ont commencé à revoir les atouts de l'avion espagnol "F-18" par rapport à son homologue marocain "F-16". "L'avion américain que le Maroc a acquis est allé au-delà des technologies espagnoles du F-18: par exemple, l'avion marocain a un radar d'une portée de 300 km, contre 150 pour l'avion espagnol", écrit la Confédération.

L'avion marocain "F-16" possède également des missiles de pointe avec une protection plus grande et meilleure, avec plus de maniabilité, ce qui les rend bien meilleurs que le F-18 de l'armée de l'air espagnole.

La décision du Maroc de dessiner ses frontières vient combler le vide législatif dans le système juridique national relatif aux espaces maritimes, et sa compatibilité avec la souveraineté intérieure totale du Maroc sur toutes ses terres et eaux de Tanger à Lagouira.

Malgré la tendance du Maroc à ratifier ces lois, Rabat a indiqué sa volonté de négocier avec les pays concernés le projet de délimitation de ses eaux territoriales en ouvrant la porte au dialogue avec l'Espagne et la Mauritanie afin de définir avec précision leurs espaces maritimes avec eux.

Nasser Bourita, le ministre marocain des Affaires étrangères, avait déclaré aux parlementaires, lors de la discussion de ces deux textes, qu'il existe un ensemble de déterminants derrière la préparation et la présentation de ces projets dans cette circonstance particulière, indiquant que la profondeur de cette étape "est la volonté du Maroc de protéger et de préserver ses intérêts suprêmes au niveau de son sol. Aussi, au niveau géopolitique de la région. "

Le Maroc réussit à démanteler les cellules terroristes

Des membres du Bureau central de recherche judiciaire ont démantelé vendredi matin, à l'échelon de Karyan Benobeid, à proximité de la zone de Tamaris, une cellule soupçonnée d'être terroriste opérant dans la banlieue de Casablanca.

Ajouter une légende

 Selon nos sources, un certain nombre d'armes blanches, dont des épées, des "ingrédients", des "couteaux" et des couteaux, ainsi qu'un certain nombre d'armes à feu, y compris des pistolets, des fusils et des dispositifs utilisés pour la fabrication d'explosifs, y compris du matériel chimique et autre, ont été saisis.

 L'opération a permis de constater que les membres de la cellule appartenaient à l'organisation terroriste "EIIL", dont les slogans étaient conservés ainsi que certains manuscrits.

 Les forces de sécurité bassidji ont bouclé la zone; éviter l'évasion des membres de la cellule terroriste et éviter les blessures de toute autre personne pendant le raid sur la maison où ils se trouvent.

 Le dernier démantèlement d'une cellule terroriste par le Bureau central de recherche judiciaire de la Direction générale de la surveillance du sol national a été annoncé en juin dernier à Rashidiya et Tanager, où ses membres se préparaient à commettre des attentats terroristes dans le royaume.

 "Les premières recherches confirment que des membres de cette cellule, composée de trois extrémistes âgés de 26 à 28 ans, ont participé à la propagande et à la promotion de la rhétorique extrémiste de l'EIIL", a déclaré un communiqué publié à l'époque.

Nice pictures from Morocco