The United States sides with Morocco in its fight against terrorism and in security preservation, said, on Friday in Rabat, chairwoman of U.S. House Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. In a statement to the press after her talks with Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, Ros-Lehtinen said that Morocco and the United States share «the same problems», noting that the Kingdom is a strong country with a good governance and saying that she is convinced that Morocco will protect its citizens against ISIS and other extremist groups. The Republican MP also seized this opportunity to welcome the bilateral ties of cooperation, affirming that the United States attaches great importance to long-standing relations of fruitful cooperation and bilateral friendship in all areas, ranging from trade to security. In this regard, Ros-Lehtinen said she was very happy about the upcoming launch by National carrier Royal Air Maroc of a new air route between Casablanca and Miami. Referring to the financial support granted by the US Congress to Morocco, she said that it is an «investment in the future, because Morocco is the future of the Middle East and Africa» and «a leader for moderation and stability». «It would be in the interest of the United States to build on this strong relation and further strengthen it,» she said. The US deputy said that, during her meeting with Bourita, she spoke about Iran's designs, adding that Iran is trying to exploit the unrest in the region to strengthen its control. Morocco was one of the first countries to recognize Iran's threat to world peace and stability well before the United States, she added.
