HM King Mohammed VI and the Moroccan people follow with  keenest interest the evolution of the Palestinian issue, "an extremely sensitive and difficult issue", said Sunday Mr. Taib Fassi Fihri, Foreign Affairs and Cooperation minister.

    "Morocco will continue, under the enlightened leadership of HM the King, not only to follow the evolution of the situation with the required interest, but also to bring in its positive contribution, given its past commitment, its knowledge, its follow up of the issue and its capacity as member of the group in charge of following-up the Arab peace initiative", Mr. Fassi Fihri told the press, shortly after the arrival in Marrakech of the US Secretary of State, Ms Hillary Clinton.

    The Moroccan Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister called for an earnest resumption, in the best circumstances and the soonest possible, of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, interrupted naturally following the Israeli military intervention in Gaza. 
 
    "We are glad to note that the new US Administration has traced the path and clearly expressed on which foundations the outcome of the negotiations should be set", said the Minister, stressing that these negotiations should favour the two-State settlement, "that is to say the creation of an independent and fully viable Palestinian State".
   
    Mr. Fassi Fihri further observed that the Arab side notes that all conditions are not yet available for effective and earnest negotiations likely to materialise the two-State vision, "hence the importance, he added, of the visit paid last week to Morocco by President Abou Mazine and the talks he had with HM the King".

    Hillary Clinton arrived Sunday in Marrakech to attend the sixth ministerial meeting of the Forum for the Future, to be held November 2-3 in the Moroccan city.