ACTIVITIES OF SECRETARY-GENERAL IN MOROCCO, 17 JUNE

In the wake of Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon, the Secretary-General embarked on a seven-nation Middle East tour to thank governments for their support for a smooth transition in Lebanon and to seek their advice on how to consolidate the peace there.

He arrived in Morocco on Saturday, 17 June, where in Rabat he had an audience with His Majesty King Mohamed VI. They met privately for about an hour. Afterwards, the Secretary-General attended a lunch offered by the King and hosted by Foreign Minister Mohamad Benaissa.

In the afternoon, the Secretary-General travelled by road to Casablanca, where he met with Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud. He thanked the Saudi Crown Prince for his counsel and support on southern Lebanon, and said he hoped that Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon could lead to progress on the Syrian and Palestinian tracks of the Middle East peace process.

He left Casablanca in the early evening and flew overnight to Iran, where he arrived in the capital Tehran on Sunday morning, 18 June.