ITF reports on Moroccan unionist meeting
News Release
International Transport Federation (ITF)
July 13, 2012
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<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US>The ITF is hoping for
positive results in the case of detained trade unionist Said Elhairech after a
meeting with Moroccan diplomats in London.</SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US></SPAN></SPAN> </P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US>ITF general secretary
David Cockroft and ITF maritime coordinator Stephen Cotton met with the
country’s deputy head of mission Othmane Bahnini on
Friday. </SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US></SPAN></SPAN> </P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US>“It was a very positive
meeting and we made real progress,” David Cockroft said, adding that Moroccan
diplomats had assured the high-level ITF team of the independence of their
country's judiciary. "We hope that Said will be released soon," he
added.</SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US></SPAN></SPAN> </P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US>The ITF has also offered
to facilitate the testimony of French and Spanish ITF inspectors should it
be required in the </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Comarit-Comanav
</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"
lang=EN-US>corruption case. The ITF reiterated that Said, who is from the UMT
dockers' union, played an important role in assisted abandoned seafarers after
the ferry company stopped operating in
May.</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>
<HTML><HEAD><TITLE></TITLE>
<META content="text/html; charset=unicode" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.19258"></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US>The ITF is hoping for
positive results in the case of detained trade unionist Said Elhairech after a
meeting with Moroccan diplomats in London.</SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US></SPAN></SPAN> </P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US>ITF general secretary
David Cockroft and ITF maritime coordinator Stephen Cotton met with the
country’s deputy head of mission Othmane Bahnini on
Friday. </SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US></SPAN></SPAN> </P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US>“It was a very positive
meeting and we made real progress,” David Cockroft said, adding that Moroccan
diplomats had assured the high-level ITF team of the independence of their
country's judiciary. "We hope that Said will be released soon," he
added.</SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US></SPAN></SPAN> </P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt" lang=EN-US>The ITF has also offered
to facilitate the testimony of French and Spanish ITF inspectors should it
be required in the </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Comarit-Comanav
</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"
lang=EN-US>corruption case. The ITF reiterated that Said, who is from the UMT
dockers' union, played an important role in assisted abandoned seafarers after
the ferry company stopped operating in
May.</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>