§ Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Ministers have visited Morocco since May 1997; and if he will make a statement on UK-Morocco relations. [115665]
Mr. Mike OBrienNine Ministers have visited Morocco in an official capacity since May 1997
Derek Fatchett, Minister of State, FCO, May 1998Dawn Primarolo, Minister for Customs and Excise, July 1998Robin Cook, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, (with His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales) July 1999 (to attend King Hassan II of Moroccos funeral)Peter Hain, Minister of State, FCO, Dec 1999Richard Caborn, Minister of Trade, May 2000Ben Bradshaw, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, FCO, September 2001Margaret Beckett and Michael Meacher, Department of the Environment, Oct-Nov2001Clare Short, Secretary of State, Department for International Development, September 2002.UK Morocco relations are strong as indicated by the meeting of my hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with Mohammed Benaissa, the Moroccan Foreign Minister in London on 20 May 2003. After the meeting they both referred positively to relations between Morocco and the UK.