FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

December 9, 2004
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Media Advisory: Secretary Snow to Travel to Morocco This Week

Treasury Secretary John Snow and Secretary of State Colin Powell will lead a delegation from the United States to the Forum on the Future meeting to be held in Rabat, Morocco on Saturday, December 11.  The meeting will bring together foreign ministry and finance ministry representatives from the region, the G-8, and other interested nations.  The Forum will be co-chaired by the United States and Morocco. 

The Forum on the Future is a cooperative effort by the states of the Broader Middle East and North Africa (BMENA) region, the G-8 industrialized countries, and other partners.  Forum members are united around a common agenda that advances the universal values of human dignity, democracy, economic opportunity and social justice.

BMENA States: Afghanistan, Algeria, Arab League, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Authority, Quatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

G-8: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States

Other states: Netherlands, Turkey

The following events are open to the media presenting media credentials and photo identification:

Friday, December 10

Press Availability with Moroccan Finance Minister Fathallah Oualalou
3:45 pm local time
Moroccan Ministry of Finance
Rabat, Morocco

Saturday, December 11

Opening Plenary Session
Opening Remarks
9:00 am local time
Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Rabat, Morocco
** Top of meeting open to cameras only
** Text will be available

Joint Press Conference of Forum Co-Chairs
(Sec. Snow, Sec. Powell and Minister Oualalou and Minister Benaissa)
1:00 pm local time
Moroccan Ministry of Interior Annex
Rabat, Morocco
** Media must be set up by 12:00 pm local time for security sweeps

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