France- Morocco In Transport
Deal
France has endorsed a deal with
Morocco to construct a high-speed rail line, linking the cities of
Tangiers and Marrakech in Morocco.
The agreement for the rail project was concluded by French
President Nicolas Sarkozy, while on a three-day visit to Morocco.
He was warmly welcomed to Rabat by King Mohammed VI, on his first
visit to the country since being elected in May.
Mr. Sarkozy also signed a deal to sell a medium-sized French war
ship to the Moroccan navy.
The tentative deal to build the rail link, in collaboration with
the French group, Alstom, is worth 2 billion Euros.
The project’s first section, the 200 kilometres track from
Tangiers to Kenitra, would be operational in year 2013.
Deals
France will also sell a Fremm class, medium-sized war ship to the
Moroccan navy and will modernise 25 of its Puma helicopters and
140 armoured vehicles, as part of the agreements.
On Tuesday, Mr. Sarkozy addressed the Moroccan parliament in
Rabat, before travelling to Tangiers to give a speech about his
ideas for a union of Mediterranean countries.
He is accompanied on his visit by his Justice Minister, Rachida
Dati, who is of Moroccan origin, and 70 French business leaders.
France is Morocco's main export destination and its main supplier
of goods and foreign investment.
BBC/YINKA
