France, Morocco resume judicial cooperation

France and Morocco have resumed judicial and legal partnership after bilateral relations were set back by allegations of human right abuse and freedom repression, France's Justice Ministry said in statement on its website Saturday.

While meeting her Moroccan counterpart Mustapha Ramid in Paris on Thursday and Friday, French Justice Minister Christaine Taubira "discussed in depth the difficulties which led to the suspension of judicial cooperation between France and Morocco."

"The heads of state King Mohammed VI and President Francois Hollande wanted to end this situation and preserve the exceptional partnership between the two countries," Taubira said.

The two countries had agreed to amend the Franco-Morrocan judicial cooperation convention to boost the exchange of information between the two countries as a part of Paris plan to improve intelligence services on terrorism suspects after deadly attacks early this month.

They will also bring back liaison magistrates, according to the communique.

In a rare diplomatic row between France and Morocco, Morocco decided in February 2014 to suspend its judicial cooperation with its former colonial ruler to protest over allegations of human rights abuse.

Morocco summoned the French ambassador after French police went to the Moroccan embassy in Paris to question the head of the domestic intelligence over torture allegations, following lawsuits filed against him in France by Moroccan activists. Endit