Moroccan king opens al-Quds committee meeting

Moroccan King Mohammed VI, who is chairman of Al-Quds Committee, inaugurated here on Friday the 20th session of Al Quds Committee, in the presence of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. In a keynote speech during the gathering, the Moroccan king said this session comes at a time when political, material and media solidarity for the Palestinian cause is declining. But, he said the event shows common willingness to keep on supporting the rights of the Palestinian people. "The convening of this meeting clearly attests to our common desire to continue defending not only the legitimate rights of our Palestinian brothers, but also the Arab and Islamic character of the city of Al-Quds al-Sharif," he said. He hailed the meeting as a chance to consult and coordinate with one another in order to come up with innovative measures to confront the aggressive policies endured by the steadfast Palestinian people, as well as the settlement policies and the violations perpetrated against Al-Quds and the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque. He also considered the gathering as an ideal opportunity to develop common stances which can effectively contribute to the peace process. Al-Quds Committee, an offshoot of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), is holding its 20th session from January 17 through 18. Foreign ministers of the committee member-states, the OIC secretary general, high-level emissaries representing the UN Security Council permanent member-states, the EU, the Vatican, the UN and the Arab league are attending the Marrakech meeting. (end) adt.ams.mt KUNA 172150 Jan 14NNNN