Saad Eddin Al Othmani visits US

2006-05-12

Saad Eddin Al Othmani, secretary general of Morocco's moderate Islamic Party of Justice and Development, is visiting the United States to explain his party's platform and its ideas about political reform.

By Mawassi Lahcen for Magharebia in Casablanca – 12/05/06

[File] Al Othmani

Saad Eddin Al Othmani, secretary general of Morocco's moderate Islamic Party of Justice and Development, began his North American visit on 6 May, as part of a global tour which started at the beginning of this year and has included a number of European countries. The tour has focused on explaining the party's programme, the direction it is taking and preparations for the September 2007 legislative elections.

Al Othmani told Magharebia that his visit to North America will last about two weeks, as he intends to spend ten days in the United States and five days in Canada. He indicated that during his visit, he would give a number of lectures in US establishments and institutes to present the party's programme and its vision of Moroccan political reform as well as the Western Sahara issue.

"The most important aspect of the visit is the search for official representatives for the party in certain cities, particularly Boston, where around 25,000 Moroccans live. This is what we have already done in France, Belgium and Spain, and what we will do now in the United States and Canada," Al Othmani said.

Al Othmani said that he had not scheduled any meetings with American officials during his visit. However, he said that he would be giving lectures at institutes such as the Centre for the Study of Islam and Democracy and the Carnegie Institute in Washington, where he will speak about the Moroccan experience and the Western Sahara question.

If the results of the forthcoming elections are favourable, Al Othmani expressed his party's readiness to enter into a coalition with other parties performing well in the elections. He noted that over 36 parties participating in the elections and the system of voting by lists make it impossible for any given political party to obtain an absolute majority.

In regards to fears and reservations expressed in some political quarters over his party's rise to power, Al Othmani said, "These reservations are unwarranted in Morocco because we have a constitutional monarchy with real powers that guarantee the stability of the country and its unity, and also guarantee the continuity of the general directions the country is taking."

He added that the fact that the Constitution names the monarch Commander of the Faithful constitutes a guarantee for order in Moroccan religious matters. "Whomever is in government, the Commander of the Faithful is the one who is responsible for religious matters, and accordingly there can be no interference in anything connected with religion unless it is under his supervision."