King Mohammed of Morocco has arrived in Mauritania for a three-day official visit intended as a turning point in the two countries' troubled relations.
The king was met by Mauritanian President Maaouiya Ould Sid Ahmed Taya and senior members of his government at the airport in the capital Nouakchott.
The two men met for private discussions before attending an initial meeting accompanied by delegations from their respective countries, Moroccan TV reported.
The presidential palace in Nouakchott has been renovated in preparation for the king's visit and new limousines have been flown in for the royal motorcade.
Relations between the two countries have been strained in the past by the long-running dispute over Western Sahara, which was occupied by Morocco in 1975.
Neutral position
The Polisario Front, which is seeking independence for Western Sahara, has long operated out of refugee camps inside Mauritania.
But Nouakchott now maintains a neutral position on the future of the territory. The United Nations has made several attempts to organise a referendum its future status.
Recent efforts have focused on achieving some form of autonomy rather than independence from Morocco.
Mauritania pulled out of southern parts of the Western Sahara in 1979, but has maintained observers there under the UN-brokered peace talks.
~*~
Barrister sorry for royal death rumour (Electronic Telegraph)
By Paul Stokes
A BARRISTER apologised yesterday for announcing the death of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in court prompting condolences from the judge and reducing two woman jurors to tears.
Nick Cartmel's brief tribute was based on unfounded rumours circulating throughout the country last week that the Queen Mother had died. The jury had been locked in deliberations in their retiring room and out of earshot as the word reached Newcastle upon Tyne Crown Court on Friday.
Mr Cartmel rose to his feet to make what transpired to be his most embarrassing speech after they returned to deliver a not guilty verdict at the end of a short trial.
There were gasps of "Oh, no" around the courtroom as he addressed the 12 people on Friday afternoon. He said they would be unaware of "the very sad news we have had within the last hour" and went on to say the Queen Mother had died.
At this stage, two women on the back row began to weep and Recorder David Waksman commiserated and commented on the sad loss. With his public duty concluded for the day, Mr Cartmel, 33, returned home and switched on his television expecting to watch countless tributes.
He began to suspect that his own report of her death was exaggerated when no reference was made in the evening news bulletins.
Mr Cartmel stood unsuccessfully as a Conservative candidate in Durham at the general election and is the godson of Brian Mawhinney, the party's former chairman. He apologised yesterday for the error of judgment in passing on the rumour - conveyed by another barrister.
Mr Cartmel added: "It was a most unfortunate error and I am very sorry about the upset it caused."
A member of staff at Newcastle Crown Court said of Mr Cartmel: "It is going to take him a long, long time to live this one down."
To September News
To News Archive