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Article: Europe's African dimension. (Morocco's drive for closer ties with the EC)
- Article from:
- The Middle East
- Article date:
- April 1, 1993
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1993 IC Publications Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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FOR YEARS MOROCCO HAS pressed for closer ties with the European Community (EC), promoting itself as a bridge between Europe and Africa and Europe and the Arab/Islamic worlds. Generally, Europe has responded politely but cautiously. Now, however, Rabat's prospects of integrating with the EC are brightening rapidly, and before too long Morocco could be a de facto part of Europe.
Apart from Morocco's non-European location, two factors have in the past hindered the kingdom's drive for closer ties with the EC: the Western Sahara dispute and human rights abuses.
Morocco occupied the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara in 1975, claiming it as part of its historic ...