Saudi ambassador holds talks with several Moroccan officials

After meeting the Speaker of Morocco’s House of Representatives Habib El Malki, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Rabat Abdellah Ben Saad Al Ghariri held talks with a number of Moroccan officials. On Wednesday, May 8, he was received by the Justice Minister Mohamed Aujjar.

It was an occasion for the Saudi diplomat to praise the «historical and fraternal» relations between the two Kingdoms. On Monday, May 6, the Saudi ambassador met with the Speaker of the Parliament’s House of Councillors Hakim Benchamach.

These meetings come as in March, and in a telephone conversation, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and King Mohammed VI reviewed «brotherly and friendly relations».

During this call, the two sovereigns stressed the need to «strengthen and develop», ties between the Kingdoms. This call comes as media reports suggested in February that Morocco recalled its ambassador in Saudi Arabia, after Saudi-owned news channel Al Arabiya broadcast a report on Western Sahara.

These reports were denied by Moroccan Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita who said that the Kingdom’s ambassadors to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were in Morocco to «take part in some meetings and they returned earlier this week to their positions».

For the record, AP wrote, citing government officials from both Morocco and Saudi Arabia, that Rabat «no longer takes part in military interventions or ministerial meetings in the Saudi-led coalition».

In January 31st, Bourita said in an interview with Qatari channel Al Jazeera that «Morocco’s participation to the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen has changed».