News from Berlin
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier Met his Moroccan Counterpart
June 18th, 2014
News from Berlin – The German minister of foreign affairs, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, gave a warm welcome to his Moroccan counterpart, Salaheddine Mezouar, at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin on 13 June.
The meeting aimed at strengthening the bilateral cooperation against the backdrop of rising tensions in the Middle East, amid the recent dramatic developments in Iraq and the ongoing civil conflict in Syria. Both ministers voiced their desire to bolster the relationship, which they argue is “on a firm footing”. Likewise, Steinmeier praised the Moroccan government for its resilience in the face of the latest upheavals in the region.
In addition, Mezouar expressed his intention to use the talks in Berlin to prepare for the first bilateral economic commission, due to take place in Morocco this October. In his words, such commission would represent an excellent opportunity to identify further areas of cooperation in order to make of Germany one of the country’s top three economic partners.
Commenting on the current events in Iraq, Steinmeier emphasised the importance to support the process of political consolidation of the Iraqi state.
In the past weeks, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), an unrecognised state and active jihadist group, has taken control of several Iraqi cities, including Mosul, the country’s second largest city. According to the German foreign minister, ISIS activities not only threaten Iraq, but also the region as a whole.
News from Berlin – Berlin Global