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Last update - 04:40 08/12/2008
Israel and Morocco quietly discussing Livni visit to Rabat
By Barak Ravid
Tags: Morocco, Rabat, Tzipi Livni 

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The two countries have been working to advance such a visit. Morocco seemed poised to invite Livni to participate in a conference there, but in the end she was not invited.

Now the talks are back on, the government sources said: Abramovitz visited two weeks ago ostensibly to take part in a conference on European-Mediterranean relations, but his focus was actually setting a date for Livni's visit, before the Knesset elections in February.

Abramovitz met with his Morrocan counterpart, Taib Fassi Fihri, to discuss the Livni visit. He also told Fihri that Israel expects the Arab countries to support the diplomatic process with the Palestinians by strengthening ties with Israel.

Government sources in Jerusalem said: "The chances that the Moroccans will respond and invite Livni are not high, but efforts are ongoing." The sources expressed the hope that the Moroccan government would join Qatar, which "decided to take the initiative and invite Livni for a visit a few months ago, despite pressure by other Arab countries."

Livni met with Firhi last week in Brussels, during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers. However, it is unclear whether they discussed a potential visit. Livni's bureau declined to comment.

Abramovitz made a secret visit about 18 months ago to Rabat, the capital of Morocco, where he met with former foreign minister Mohamed Benaissa, to discuss holding a meeting with Livni. She indeed met with Benaissa in Paris shortly after, in July 2007, and in an unusual step, the two agreed to make the visit public.

Israel and Morocco had opened interest sections in the past; however, following the outbreak of the second intifada in September 2000, the sections were closed and ties were severed. Nevertheless, talks between the two countries have continued.

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